Beauty and the Beast
by Clinically Insane
Summary: (StormCreed)(MagnetoMystique) Think you've read this story? Think again! Scott's having issues with life wo Jean and winds up in a bar, Ro and Lo go after him and then Ro sees and old friend. That's only the beginning-Mwahahaha-DONE!-YAY!
1. Prince Valium

I don't own anything-yet  
  
And yes I am also the author of Pyro's New Parents: incase you were wondering the relationships in this story are the same as in the one prior.  
  
And now let the folly unfold-  
  
Chapter 1: Prince Valium  
  
*Scott, wake up Magneto is on the move!* said the Prof telepathically.  
  
Snort!?  
  
"Wha-?" Scott sat up in bed dazed and confused (but that's not news-hehe).  
  
THUD!  
  
"Ow!" Scott rolled out of bed.  
  
"Scooter, you up?" a fully suited Wolverine poked his head into the room.  
  
*Scott-WAKE UP!*  
  
"-the hell?" Scott sat up.  
  
"Are you still in your boxers?" asked Wolverine completely walking into the room.  
  
It was true, Scott was sporting white boxers with a pattern of different colored kiss marks all over them (Oh, that's just wrong!)  
  
Scott looked up at the fuzzy (double meaning-mahahaha!) figure in front of him, "Logan?"  
  
"Scooter, you ok? We've been callin' you fer fifteen minutes-" said the Canadian with worry in place of his usual sarcasm.  
  
Scott keeled over onto the rug, "Five more minutes, Mom."  
  
SKNIT!-"Who the hell you callin', Mom?!"  
  
BAMF!  
  
Kurt ported into the threshold.  
  
"Vat's the problem?"  
  
Logan put his hands up in defense, claws still fully extended, "I didn't do it."  
  
"Do vat?" asked Kurt walking further into the room, "Mein got! Ve must wake him."  
  
Kurt dragged Scott to the bathroom, "Zis kind of stuff never happened in de circus!" he muttered shaking his head.  
  
That's when Logan noticed a small white bottle that had rolled under Scott's bed. He picked it up, "Valium," he snorted.  
  
Half the contents was gone and the seal which had been broken earlier that night lingered on the night stand.  
  
Logan walked into the bathroom, Kurt had gotten Scott to wake up by running his head under the faucet.  
  
"That's enough, Kurt. I'll take it from here." said Logan, "Go tell the others it'll be a few more minutes."  
  
"Don'vorry Storm isn't dressed yet either." said Kurt.  
  
BAMF!  
  
-------------  
  
*X-Men I need you in the hanger NOW!* the Prof tried again.  
  
Storm was still in bed and had a splitting migraine. This was the fifth day in a row. She had made her mind up, she was not getting out of bed even if Magneto was about to be successful in taking over all of human kind.  
  
That's when her stomach lurched.  
  
In a split second she had run into the bathroom and was vomiting in the tub. Resting her head on the cool ceramic she began to think back a month ago. 


	2. Of Bars, Beers and Broads

Just in case you were wondering I still own nothing! And I'm not particularly happy about that.  
  
Chapter 2: Of Bars, Beers and Broads (I hope I spelled that right)  
  
*~*Flashback*~*  
  
(1 Month Ago)  
  
Storm and Logan had followed their fearless leader, Scott Summers, to a bar in Canada. By the time they arrived Scott was slumped over the bar ½ conscious. He hadn't taking life without Jean very well.  
  
"Flamin' hell, Scooter," was all Logan could say as he pulled Scott to his feet.  
  
That's when Storm saw a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye, "John?"  
  
"You say somethin'?" Logan looked back at storm.  
  
"You go on. I think I saw an old friend. I'll take a cab home." said Storm.  
  
"Alright, Ro. That's probably for the best, Scooter and I need have a dialogue-not that he's gonna remember it."  
  
Logan took Scott out to the car, while Storm went in search of John. She found him sitting alone in a booth drawing on a cocktail napkin.  
  
Pyro looked up to find himself somewhere between bedwetting and a near death experience when he saw, "Ro?!"  
  
"Hello, John," Storm greeted him in her usual friendly tone.  
  
"What are you doing here?" asked Pyro caught off guard.  
  
"I was just about to ask you the same question," said Ororo.  
  
"Was that Scott I saw at the bar?" asked Pyro, changing the subject.  
  
"Yes, he hasn't been taking life without Jean very well, but I'm sure you're new living arrangements are far more interesting than any news at the Institute."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked John narrowing his eyes.  
  
"Well," said Ororo sliding into the booth, "What did you have for breakfast?" She decided to start out simply.  
  
"Nothing," responded Pyro smugly.  
  
"You didn't eat breakfast?!" Storm was horrified.  
  
"No we always sleep through breakfast. Trust me you don't want to be anywhere near the kitchen when Magneto and Mystique are at it. Damn, this one time I walked in and-"  
  
"Who's we?" asked Storm cutting John off before he went anymore into detail.  
  
"That would be us," said Toad.  
  
Ororo looked up to see not only Toad, but Sabertooth as well. Her eyes started to glow-  
  
"Easy, we're off duty," said Toad holding up his hands in defense.  
  
~Time Passes~  
  
John had fallen asleep on Ororo's shoulder while the adults swapped embarrassing stories of screw-ups on missions past. Toad had stopped after three beers, but Storm and Sabertooth just kept putting them away.  
  
"Ok," said Toad, "Time to go home, Py, c'mon."  
  
"MMmmmhhhh?" Pyro was in no mood to be roused.  
  
"Let's go," Toad peeled John off Storm and wrapped one of the tired teen's arms around his neck, "Coming?" he asked Creed.  
  
"No, I'm good for another round or two." Sabertooth assured him.  
  
Toad took Pyro out to a jeep, put him down in the back and drove away.  
  
That's when everything got fuzzy for Ororo.  
  
-------------  
  
The next morning Ororo awoke to a splitting headache and something heavy around her waist. She figured Scott had that re-accruing where Jean made it back on the plane then bolted awake to find the other side of the bed vacant.  
  
"Damn it, Scott, go back to your own room!"  
  
The grip around her waist tightened and she heard a sound which can only be described as a deep purr.  
  
She assumed it was the heater and settled back into the covers. The next thing she heard was the door knob turning and the door opening.  
  
*Click*  
  
Light flooded the room.  
  
"Magneto wants to see-STORM!?" Toad yelped.  
  
"No, fuckin' way," said Pyro as his eyes widening.  
  
Both Victor and Storm sat up in bed and looked at each other. Needless to say they were very shocked, not to mention very naked. The only thing covering them was a blanket.  
  
"Whoa, good thing I left the X-Men or I'd owe Bobby 200 hundred bucks," said John as a wave of relief washed over him.  
  
"What are talking about?" asked Toad.  
  
"We had a bet going Bobby disagreed with me that Ro was asexual-" Pyro explained the parameters of said bet.  
  
"WHAT?!" roared Storm.  
  
"I just said that right in front of her didn't I?" John looked directly at Toad afraid to llok away.  
  
"Ya-ya, you did," confirmed Toad.  
  
"For your information there is not proof we did anything!" insisted Storm indignantly.  
  
"And denial is a river in Egypt." said Pyro as he bent down and lifted Storm's shredded pink bra from the floor.  
  
"Why you little-" Storm's eyes stared to glow.  
  
"Alright everyone clam down!" Toad quickly became the voice of reason, "Pyro go into Mystique' room and take some clothes. I'll stall Magneto and Mystique and as far you're concerned Pyro, we didn't see shit!"  
  
"Ok," said John as he turned to leave for Mystique's room knowing full that he and Toad would be talking about it for days to come.  
  
"Right," said Toad as he closed the door and went to stall Magneto.  
  
Creed smiled smugly, putting both hands behind his head and leaning against the head board, "Guess you don't owe me that scream anymore,"  
  
Storm hugged the blanket around her upper torso and glared at Sabertooth, "If you tell anyone I swear-"  
  
*~*End Flashback*~* 


	3. Macadamia

Chapter 3  
  
By the time the X-Men reached their final destination, a loading dock. The Brotherhood had been waiting, so long in fact that Toad and Pyro were engrossed in a lightning round of poker, while Magneto and Mystique went over of sheet a battle plans laid out on a crate. Creed secured the perimeter.  
  
Mystique jabbed Magneto with her elbow, he looked up with a sarcastic smirk, "Finally, we were beginning to worry you wouldn't show."  
  
"At least they brought the kids this time." said Mystique looking at Bobby and Rogue, who were on their first mission, "We never see them any more."  
  
"Whay you-" Rogue was about to lunge for Mystique, but Logan grabbed her by the seat of the pants and pulled her behind him.  
  
"Well, I think that does it for pleasantries," Magneto began, "so if there isn't anything else-"  
  
"Two seconds," said Scott as he leaned over the nearest crate and threw up.  
  
"You guys hit a bar?" asked Creed as he watched Scott vomiting his brains out.  
  
"That's not alcohol, that's half a bottle of valium," said Wolverine.  
  
"Oh-anyway, prepare for the fight scene!" yelled Toad.  
  
With that having been said the inevitable fight ensued. Wolverine had to protect Scott, forcing Storm, Rogue and Bobby to take the brunt of the fight.  
  
Needless to say Rogue and Bobby's inexperience betrayed them in the end and Storm felt too ill to protect them properly.  
  
As an end result all three were captured and taken back to Magneto's lair, the lab to be specific. Rogue and Bobby were lured into a trap by Mystique posing as Wolverine. Storm on the other hand had passed out walking around the loading dock, while she was looking for the kids. Sabertooth found her and brought her back to the car.  
  
-------------  
  
3hrs later Storm woke up on a cot in a cage and started to freak out. She jumped up and ran over to the bars and began to pull at them. Then her stomach caught up with her.  
  
"NNNNhhhhhh!" she wrapped her arms around her torso and sank to the ground.  
  
The bars parted like they were cheap plastic and before her stood Magneto.  
  
"Been in Cyclops' valium have we?" asked Magneto snidely.  
  
"BACK OFF!" warned Storm.  
  
BOOM!-A clap of thunder could be heard.  
  
"Ah wouldn't get too close," said Rogue from the cell across the way, "she's unpredictable when she's closed in."  
  
"Ya, she's claustrophobic." said Bobby.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," said Magneto as he motioned for Mystique to come over.  
  
Mystique walked into the cell and helped Storm to her feet.  
  
"Bring her over to the examining table," ordered Magneto.  
  
"No!" Storm tried to get away.  
  
"Do you want us to find out what's wrong with you or not?" hissed Mystique.  
  
"How stupid do you think I am?!" asked Storm sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, can I answer this one?" inquired Mystique enthusiastically.  
  
Magneto sighed and put his hand over his eyes, "Just put her on the table!"  
  
Mystique looked over at Sabertooth, "Hold her down while I fasten the restraints!"  
  
"Uh-ok," said Victor a little hesitantly.  
  
"What do you mean 'uh-ok'?! Do you want to be fried?" asked Mystique.  
  
"Enough all of you!" shouted Magneto, "she can't 'fry' either of you without killing herself in the process. The building you're standing in is constructed of solid metal-a super conductor!"  
  
CRASH!  
  
Bobby had frozen the bars of the cell he and Rogue were in and broke them with a powerful sidekick. Both teens charged from the cell ready for battle, rather an ass whooping considering they were both still yellow belts.  
  
"Pyro, handle them!" ordered Magneto.  
  
Pyro got up from his chair and walked over to fight his former teammates, "The hard way or the easy way."  
  
Bobby narrowed his eyes, "Lets dance!"  
  
"Oh stop it!" Rogue rolled her eyes.  
  
"Rogue, stand back, I'll handle this!" proclaimed Bobby.  
  
"Ah, cannot believe you just said that," growled Rogue.  
  
"Well, if you're so smart how do you propose to fight him?!" asked an exasperated Bobby.  
  
"Look, Rogue we all know you're sexually frustrated, but why don' we let the men handle this one," said John obnoxiously.  
  
"A DISTRACTION!" shouted Rogue as she pointed off to the left, both boys looked in that direction.  
  
POW!-St. John got it right in the~(Well you know what they grow in Macadamia!)  
  
"How's that for 'sexual frustration'?" asked Rogue smiling.  
  
"For the love of all that's sweet and good, woman! What are you, deranged?!" yelped Bobby watching his former friend double over.  
  
That's when Toad walked into the lab with a cup of coffee, "What the hell?!" he asked as he saw Mystique holding Storm down with Sabertooth looking on hesitantly as Magneto prepared a sedative syringe and Pyro hunched over in pain, while Bobby and Rogue towered over him.  
  
Everyone stopped and looked at him.  
  
"All I need is a small blood sample-emphasis on SMALL!" said Toad as he put his coffee down, "Py, you ok?" he asked looking over at his fallen friend.  
  
"Ya," said John a little winded, "just let me find my balls!"  
  
Toad rolled his eyes and opened a drawer and took out four items: a bottle of alcohol, a cotton swab, a glass slide, and a small sterile blade.  
  
Ororo started to struggle.  
  
"Grab her feet," Mystique told Sabetooth.  
  
He did, but not hard enough to hurt her.  
  
Toad grasped Ororo's hand and sterilized her ring finger with the alcohol and cotton swab, then pricked it with the razor and put the slide under a microscope.  
  
"You can let her up now," said Toad walking over to the computer.  
  
~*~5 Minutes Later~*~  
  
Toad tore off a print out from the computer and glanced over it, "Hey midget convention," he looked over at the trio of teens, "go find somewhere else to beat the ever living crap out of each other, NOW!"  
  
"Ah know he isn't sayin' Ah'm short!" yelled Marie about to lung at the anphibiod (ok, I made that word up. I have no idea what to call Toad as far as human/animal is concerned.)  
  
"Ok, let's not look an escape route in the mouth!" said Bobby hoisting Rogue over his shoulder.  
  
"Isn't that supposed to be a horse?" asked John opening the door.  
  
"Same difference," said Bobby as he carried Rogue into the hall.  
  
"Bobby, if you don't put me down Ah swear-" Rogue's threat was cut off by the door slamming shut.  
  
"What's so bad that you had to send them away?" asked Mystique.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Storm nervously.  
  
"Well, nothing's 'bad' per say-" said Toad looking down at the paper in his hand.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean exactly?" asked Magneto.  
  
"It all depends on how you take it-I suppose," said Toad.  
  
"Take what?" asked Creed.  
  
"The results!" said Toad flatly.  
  
"We know that!" said Magneto getting impatient, "What are the results?!"  
  
Toad paused for a moment almost in disbelief of the sheet of paper before him, "Well, in about eight months Storm and Sabertooth are going to be parents."  
  
-------------  
  
As usual comments and questions are welcome of any nature and all the reviews received so far are always appreciated. 


	4. The Beginnings of War, Fueled by Starbuc...

Chapter 4: The Beginnings of War, Fueled by Starbuck's  
  
Later that night-  
  
Mystique and Magneto were laying in bed. Magneto was reading a book, rather pretending read. In fact he was staring into space, trying to think of away to tell Charles about the-issue-at hand. This only further complicated the already delicate hostage situation.  
  
Mystique was nuzzling his shoulder. She gingerly took the book out of his hands and placed it on the nightstand, then started to kiss him. It took Magneto a moment before he started to kiss back. He froze, "How do you think Charles will take this?" he asked of no one in particular.  
  
"Uh, I give up!" said Mystique rather exasperated as she rolled back over to her side and turned off the lamp on the nightstand.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile in Sabertooth's wing, he and Storm were getting ready for bed-er- sort of. Storm walked out of the bathroom sporting a flannel set a PJs Mystique had laying around, "What do you think you are doing?!" she yelped. Creed had stripped down to his boxers and had bent over to pull back the covers from his side of the bed.  
  
"Goin' ta bed," said Creed standing straight up.  
  
Storm blushed and looked away when she saw the size of the bulge in his boxers.  
  
"What?!" asked Sabertooth.  
  
"Nothing-I just realized why I'm pregnant."  
  
Sabertooth snickered as he climbed into bed and then looked at her.  
  
"Oh, no-" said Storm, "There is no way!-I'll sleep on the floor first!"  
  
"You can't sleep on the floor!" objected Sabertooth, "Yer pregnant!"  
  
"So?" said Storm defiantly.  
  
"So,-" Sabertooth pulled back the covers from her side.  
  
"I don't think so," Storm held her hand up, "I mean the politics of the teams-"  
  
"Politics?!" Sabertooth snorted, "Yer gonna have my kid. We couldn't have shredded the politics more if we tired!"  
  
"Let's get one thing straight." said Storm in a dangerous tone, "This is my child as far as I'm concerned you are just a sperm donor!"  
  
Sabertooth rolled his black eyes and leaned against the headboard, "Yer just scared-"  
  
"I am not!" said Storm indignantly.  
  
"Then why are you shakin'?"  
  
"Cold," she replied quickly.  
  
"What better way to warm up?" said Creed looking pointedly at the vacant side of the bed.  
  
Storm crossed her arms.  
  
"Fine, sleep on the floor, I don't know why yer so jumpy. What more could I do? Yer already pregnant."  
  
Storm looked over at the clock, 10:30, only 10:30 and she was exhausted both emotionally and physically. She sighed and climbed into bed under the comforter Sabertooth was holding up nothing short of obediently.  
  
"Was that so hard?" asked Creed.  
  
"Just stay on your side," grumbled Storm as Sabertooth killed the lights (not literally!).  
  
-------------  
  
Pyro, Bobby and Rouge were sitting on the couch in the commons room watching none other than Sponge Bob Square Pants.  
  
"Wow, Ah think Ah'm actually getting' stupider by watchin' this." remarked Marie.  
  
"That's the point." said Bobby, "By numbing the general publics' from a young age it becomes easier for them to fall prey to the consumer market later in life."  
  
The other two teens looked at him blankly.  
  
"Where did you come up with that?" asked Pyro.  
  
"It was my thesis for the final paper of in Media 101." Bobby explained.  
  
"How ironic," said Rogue sarcastically.  
  
"I don't know about you guys, but I can go for Starbuck's right about now," said Bobby.  
  
"But aren't you defyin' your thesis by sayin' that?" asked Rogue.  
  
"No, I'm reinforcing it," said Bobby, "by proving it's right."  
  
"So are we goin' or not ?" asked Rogue.  
  
"I vote, yes," said Bobby.  
  
"Only if you promise not to make an escape attempt," said Pyro narrowing his eyes.  
  
-------------  
  
2 am  
  
Storm leapt up from the bed and ran to the bathroom just in time to hurl in the sink.  
  
Sabertooth rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling, "You ok?"  
  
"(cough) For your information I'm-(hurk)-"  
  
Victor threw off the covers and walked over to the bathroom. As soon as Storm saw him coming the entire bathroom started to glow and the crackling of miniature lightening bolts could be heard.  
  
"Would ya quit it before ya make yer-self worse? Victor was quite frustrated by now.  
  
Storm braced as he got closer and jumped a little when he turned on the faucet. She was so dizzy from using her powers Storm didn't even object to Victor cleaning her up and barely noticed when he lifted her.  
  
Sabertooth carried Ororo to the bed and put her down, then went back to the bathroom.  
  
Storm didn't even move until Victor came back and started to pull up her shirt, "Ugh, what are you doing?!-" groaned Storm.  
  
Victor put a freezing, wet towel over Ororo's abdomen.  
  
"Ah, cold!" she yelped.  
  
Sabertooth fully extended his claws and Storm braced by covering her head with her arms.  
  
Ororo felt two massive hands on either side of her stomach.  
  
"Relax," said Victor.  
  
"Easy for you to say," said Storm as she shifted uncomfortably, "You haven't lost one of your best friends to a dam bursting, watched one of your teammates slowly destroy himself over the past few months, go after said friend just to wake up in the bed of a member of the opposing team and then be captured by the enemy only to discover you're carrying the child of the one you woke up with!"  
  
"True," admitted Creed, "but I'd have a lot more explaining to do about that last one."  
  
Storm smirked a little.  
  
"Was that so hard?" asked Victor.  
  
"I guess not," Storm finally admitted shifting stiffly again, "I don't see how anything could get worse (stay with me people because you know it does- Mwahahahaha!)"  
  
"Yer abs are too constricted-"  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Ororo still trying to get comfortable.  
  
"I don't think yer the only one whose claustrophobic anymore," said Victor as he rubbed Ororo's stomach.  
  
-------------  
  
4 am  
  
The three teens retuned from Starbuck's not only with liquid coffee, but with multiple packages of ground coffee, which they were eating straight out of the bag mind you. Not only did they make breakfast, wrap it and leave it warming on the stove, but they also started to embark on one of the most noble causes known to man-The Annual Mutant Manor Prank War.  
  
For you see once the last scheduled exam was over it was all out war between teachers and students. The captains-er-'generals' rather of the student side all graduated the year before after a three year reign and named none other than Pyro, Bobby and Rogue. As a tradition the captains/generals had to launch the first prank of the summer and it had to be a pretty damn good one to set the precedent for what they expected not only of their underlings, but of the faculty too.  
  
It was a time honored tradition and it had been decided that the first casualty would be Scott's newest car (Mwhahahaha!!!-more details in the next chapter!). 


	5. The Call

Chapter 5: The Call  
  
Mystique and Toad were in the commons room reading. The remote had been screwing Mia (Mia=M.I.A=Missing In Action) since the kids had gone to bed and tensions were high. Rather than turning to the lost art of conversation Toad had turned to Sports' Illustrated and Mystique had turned to Vogue.  
  
The silence was enough to drive any self respecting mime insane.  
  
Toad threw his magazine down on the coffee table, "It's too quiet!" he declared.  
  
"I know," said Mystique, "I've read this sentence six times."  
  
"Where do you think the holy terrors are?" asked Toad.  
  
"I don't know, but with any luck they burned out after drinking all that coffee," said Mystique glancing over at the trashcan over flowing with Starbucks' cups.  
  
After a short search Toad and Mystique found the trio of teens in the lab with the remains of a bag of coffee in front of them.  
  
"What are you little cretins up to?" asked Toad.  
  
"Don't tell me the tree of you ate that bag of coffee grounds raw!" said Mystique.  
  
The three teens looked at each other.  
  
"Ok," said Pyro.  
  
Mystique just rolled her eyes and took the shredded bag over to the trash.  
  
"What's with the car?" asked Toad noticing the blueprint of a car on the computer screen.  
  
"The kids explained about the prank war and their roll in it.  
  
"Our plan is to take Scott's car apart, put it back together in his room and set the car alarm to go off at 4 am-" explained Bobby.  
  
"Our problem is the bottom part of the frame. It's too big to take up the back stairs and we'll run into Wolverine," said Rogue.  
  
Both boys visibly shuddered.  
  
"And cutting it in ½ would make too much noise," said Pyro getting back on topic.  
  
"I don't care if you're seconds from discovering the equation for time travel. You've all been awake for over 24 hours-go to bed!" said Mystique.  
  
"But-" John started to protest.  
  
"NO!" said Mystique sternly.  
  
"We're not done!" insisted Rogue.  
  
"I don't care!" said Mystique.  
  
"The prank of the century-" Bobby began.  
  
"BED!" ordered Mystique.  
  
"Wait have you guys seen the remote?" asked Toad, "I can't find it anywhere."  
  
The teens grumbled in the negative as they reluctantly filed off to bed. Each knowing better than to challenge Mystique for fear of both their physical and mental health. Did Magneto know how to pick 'em or what?"  
  
-------------  
  
Speak of the devil himself, Magneto had faxed the test results over to Xavier. Needless to say Xavier was caught off guard.  
  
Magneto was sitting in his office filling out paperwork.  
  
The phone rang.  
  
Magneto put his pen down and picked up the phone, "Hello, Charles."  
  
"I thought I was supposed to be the psychic," said Xavier in his regular warm manner.  
  
"Well, old friend," said Magneto in his usual sarcastic demeanor, "let's cut straight to the case, how do you want to handle this? Do you want me to send her back to you?"  
  
"I want to do what's in her best interest obviously." said Xavier, "Could I speak with her?"  
  
"Of course," said Magneto, "I'll connect you to her room."  
  
-------------  
  
RING! RING!  
  
It was 1:30 in the afternoon. Both Storm and Sabertooth were still asleep. Don't get me wrong, Saberooth had woken up at least 5 times, but when he saw Ororo was still unconscious he just rolled over and went back to sleep.  
  
RING! RING!-The tone cut through the stillness of the room.  
  
Victor growled a little, but did wake up.  
  
RING! RING!  
  
Sabertooth reluctantly removed his arm from the warmth of the comforter, reached over Ororo and picked up the phone, "Hello?" he was ½ conscious.  
  
"Victor, put Storm on the phone," said Magneto.  
  
"Hold on," said Victor lowering the phone next to Storm.  
  
He shook her slightly, "Wake up- phone."  
  
"MMMMMhhhhhh-hello?" she held the phone like a dead fish.  
  
"Storm, are you alright?" asked Xavier.  
  
"PROFESSOR?!" Storm sat straight up in bed.  
  
"Yes, Storm it's me. How are you?" the Prof. tried again.  
  
"So you know-" said Storm nervously.  
  
"Yes, I know," confirmed the Prof.  
  
"What about Scott and Logan?" asked Ororo hoarsely.  
  
"No, only I know," answered Xavier, "Why don't you tell me your side of the story? I would like to hear your perspective."  
  
Storm shifted uneasily.  
  
Victor wrapped his arms around Storm's waist and started to purr, but remained laying on the bed.  
  
So Storm told her side of the story. Everything from leaving with Logan to arriving at the bar finding Scott to seeing Pyro, swapping stories with Sabertooth and Toad. Then waking up the next day.  
  
Charles paused, "Are you sure Victor is indeed the father?"  
  
"Not that it's any of your business, but Sabertooth's bed is the first I've woken up in that wasn't mine since I came to America." said Storm a little more than offended.  
  
"How is he taking this?" asked Xavier attempting to take the worry out of his voice.  
  
"Surprisingly-" Ororo began, "a lot better than me."  
  
"Better than you?" asked Charles.  
  
"I was a little surprised!" said Ororo sarcastically, "What are you getting at?"  
  
"Magneto has offered to send you back to the Institute-considering the situation."  
  
"What about Bobby and Rogue?" asked Storm.  
  
"They weren't mentioned," said Xavier.  
  
"Then no deal." said Storm, "I will not leave them."  
  
"I understand," said Charles, "what about Scott and Logan?"  
  
"I guess they should know," said Storm hesitantly, "Kurt and Hank too."  
  
"I'll tell them," the Prof. assured her.  
  
"Thank you," she said then hung up.  
  
There was a knock at the door.  
  
"Ya?" said Creed.  
  
Mystique opened the door and walked in, "If you want an uninterrupted, quit meal I would go now, while the Mod Squad (Pyro, Bobby and Rogue) is still asleep."  
  
Having said that she left closing the door behind her after placing a small pile of clothes on the floor.  
  
Storm reluctantly rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom, while Victor headed over to the closet for a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.  
  
"Goddess!" yelped Storm.  
  
"What's wrong now?" asked Victor walking over to the bathroom.  
  
"DO YOU MIND?!" yelled Ororo as she started a whirl wind in the center of the floor, which hurled everything that wasn't bolted down in Victor's direction.  
  
"Hey!" Victor was blown out of the threshold, across the room and into the wall.  
  
Victor was a bit dazed for a few moments as his double vision faded.  
  
"Christ, just slam the door in my face next time!" said Creed as he got to his feet and looked up, "Shit."  
  
Storm was doubled over on the floor again from using her powers.  
  
"Mind explaining that little outburst?!" asked Creed stalking back over to the bathroom.  
  
He picked her and brought her over to bed. Then went over to the clothes Mystique left.  
  
"Five pounds," said Storm quietly.  
  
"What?" Victor asked bring the clothes over to storm.  
  
"I lost five pounds since last month," said Storm covering her eyes with a hand and swallowing hard.  
  
-------------  
  
10 min later Storm and Sabertooth made it to the kitchen.  
  
Toad was sitting at table, while Mystique was flipping through and issue of House and Garden.  
  
"Rough night?" asked Toad when he saw a gash on the side of Sabertooth's face from when he was sent across the room. The razor had gotten a piece of his face, "I trust it was a 'shocking' experience.  
  
Sabertooth stared to growl as he glared at Toad.  
  
"That's enough both of you!" scolded Mystique, "Honestly you're worse than the teenagers!"  
  
Storm sat at the kitchen table and put her head down on her hands.  
  
Magneto walked in with the paper under his arm, "Trouble in paradise?" he asked Victor sarcastically.  
  
"You have no idea," said Creed crossing his arms as the gash on his face healed completely.  
  
Magneto chuckled a little as he walked over to Storm and felt her forehead, "At little warm, but that can be expected."  
  
"What about weight loss?" asked Storm.  
  
"How much," inquired Magneto.  
  
"Five pounds," said Victor.  
  
"That's nothing to worry about," said Mystique.  
  
"What's nothing to worry about?" asked St. John as he strolled into the kitchen with Bobby behind him.  
  
"Don't worry about it." said Mystique.  
  
"Worry about what?" asked Bobby.  
  
"Never mind!" said Mystique.  
  
"Ever solve that 'problem'?" asked Toad.  
  
"No we're still working on it," said Py.  
  
Rogue came careening around the corner, Guahys, Ah figured it out! Ah- WHOOOOOOOOA!"  
  
When Rogue tried to stop on the metal floor in knit socks and went skidding across the floor on her ass.  
  
"SAFE!" pronounced John.  
  
SLAP!  
  
"Ow!" yelped St. John. Mystique had smacked him upside the head.  
  
"Rogue are you alright?" asked Storm.  
  
Rogue reached under the couch, "Who the hell cares? Ah found the remote." she said triumphantly.  
  
"'bout friggin' time," commented Toad.  
  
-------------  
  
Next up: Wolverine and Scott's reactions in Xavier's office-not to mention a brief interlude with Scott's car-(Mwhahahaha!). 


	6. War, Nyquil and Pants Oh My!

Chapter 6: War, Nyquil and Pants?!-Oh My!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
The teens were in the lab still trying to solve their car problem. Once they really thought it over they realized it would be far too difficult to rig a pulley system off the roof. It would take too long to up and take down, not to mention the noise factor.  
  
"Now what are we going to do?" asked Pyro as he played with a metal slinky.  
  
"I don't know." said Bobby miserably, "It's almost where we need-"  
  
"The power of teleportation," Rouge cut in.  
  
"But Nightcrawler is an adult," interjected Py.  
  
"Yes, but he's not a teacher-yet" said Rogue with a wicked glint in her eye.  
  
"Ah, a loophole," said Bobby with a wicked smile.  
  
"Now a see why you keep her," said Pyro, "but we still have one major problem-how the HELL are we going to gain his allegiance to our side?!"  
  
"'Allegiance to our side'?-Dude, you have been hanging out with Magneto far too long," commented Bobby.  
  
"And 'send'," Rogue hit the enter key.  
  
"What was that?" asked Bobby.  
  
"Ah just fiahred an e-mail off ta Jubilee, telling her to recruit Kurt." Rogue explained.  
  
"Jubilee is relentless! She'll never give him a moment's peace until he agrees," exclaimed Pyro.  
  
"Ah know." said Rogue smiling innocently, "Isn't it great?"  
  
"Now that's why I keep her around!" laughed Bobby.  
  
Toad walked into the lab and held the door open, "Amscray (I don't know if that's spelled right)"  
  
The teens all looked at each other.  
  
"Does this have something to do with Storm?" asked Rogue narrowing her eyes.  
  
"I don't have time for this," growled Toad, "Out!"  
  
The teens beat a hasty retreat, but Rogue did notice John shoot Toad a confused look.  
  
About five minutes after the teens left Storm and Victor walked in.  
  
Toad looked up, "Oh, Victor-I thought Magneto wanted to see you."  
  
"Ya, it can wait," said Sabertooth crossing his arms.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Toad, "I mean-"  
  
"Is there a problem?" asked Victor in a dangerous tone.  
  
"I was hoping to talk to Storm-alone." said Toad calmly.  
  
"You got somethin' ta say? Say it!" Creed growled.  
  
"I've noticed how-on edge-Storm has been lately and I just wanted to help her explore other options-" said Toad removing a syringe and a small vial containing a clear liquid from a drawer.  
  
Sabertooth's growling dropped into his chest when he saw the vial. He put one huge paw over Storm's stomach defensively.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" asked Storm nervously.  
  
"I just wanted to introduce the idea, while you still have time to think about-"  
  
SWAT!  
  
Sabertooth sent Toad flying across the room and into a wall. Needless to say Toad was knocked unconscious.  
  
Mystique came rushing into the lab after hearing the crash-"What the hell was-oh, I see Toad's abortion pitch flew like a chair," she said looking a Toad's motionless body on the lab floor.  
  
Victor continued to growl at Toad's still body.  
  
"O-kay," said Mystique turning her attention towards Storm, "when were you planning to tell the Three Amigos (Rogue, Bobby and Py)?"  
  
Ororo sighed, "I guess now. Where are they?"  
  
"Outside," said Mystique, "Should I call them in?"  
  
"No, I'll just wait until they come back in." said Storm hesitantly.  
  
"What's all this 'I' crap?!" asked Creed who was still pretty peeved with the temporarily immobile Toad, "It's my kid too!"  
  
"We've been through this-!" began Storm.  
  
"Why don't I take Storm back to your room and you can go meet with Magneto- he's been waiting for you." Mystique interrupted and took Storm by the arm.  
  
Once the women were out of the lab Victor started to walk over to shred Toad-  
  
"AND LEAVE TOAD ALONE!" yelled Mystique from hall.  
  
"Damn," growled Victor who was inches away from Toad with his claws fully extended.  
  
-------------  
  
Once Mystique and Ororo reached Victor's room Storm flopped down on the bed.  
  
"What am I going to tell the kids?" asked Storm miserably.  
  
"How about the truth?" asked Mystique sarcastically.  
  
"They're not going to react well to this." said Storm, "I have a bad feeling."  
  
"You're probably going throw up," said Mystique matter o' factly.  
  
"That's not what I meant and you know it!" grumbled Storm.  
  
"They're teenagers-they'll adjust," said Mystique as she made Victor's side of the bed.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile in Magneto's office-  
  
"We're going on a raid tonight to download the schematics of a military base up in the Yukon, so we can copy their listing of mutant and cross reference it with ours." Magneto explained.  
  
"What time do we leave?" asked Creed.  
  
"No," said Magneto "you're staying here with Storm. As of right now both of you are out of commission."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"You two need to be alone with each other." said Magneto sternly, "She needs to feel comfortable around all of us-you especially."  
  
"What about the ankle biters?" asked Creed.  
  
"Don't worry they'll go somewhere, so you and Storm can have the compound to yourselves." assured Magneto.  
  
-------------  
  
"You know he really does like you," said Mystique as she folded throw blanket which had been discarded on to the floor.  
  
"How do you know?" asked Storm sarcastically.  
  
"Please, do you honestly think he would keep you around if he didn't?"  
  
"He doesn't care about me. He just cares about the baby-which makes even less sense-" Storm trailed off.  
  
"At least try to get to know him," said Mystique, "you are going to have his child."  
  
"Oh, no," said Storm, "the second Rogue and Bobby go back so do I!"  
  
Mystique just laughed, "Victor's not going to let you leave."  
  
"What are you talking about?!" asked Storm.  
  
"Remember the Statue of Liberty?" asked Mystique.  
  
"Yes-" said Ororo cautiously.  
  
"Ever notice the Xavier seal on the back of your collar was missing?" asked Mystique as went into the bathroom and removed the wet towels.  
  
"Yes, but not until I took the suit off." admitted Ororo, "I thought I caught it on something."  
  
"He took it off-" said Mystique, "He caries it around in his front pant's pocket."  
  
"That's ridiculous!" said Storm in retort.  
  
"Don't believe me?" said Mystique smugly, "Then check his pocket."  
  
"I will do no such thing!" said Storm indignantly.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile the kids came in from the great outdoors all three totally soaked- Ok 'great' is an over statement. Let's just take a moment to verify that it was 10 below outside.  
  
"I'm f-f-freezing," Py shivered.  
  
"Ya, well it's yer own damn fault!" said Rogue wrapping her arms around her body.  
  
"Enough the both of you!" scolded Bobby whose lips by now had gone from blue to purple, "The important thing is that we figured it all out."  
  
"Figured what out?" asked Magneto coming down the hall from his office with Victor behind him.  
  
"And why are you WET?!" asked Mystique going into maternal overdrive as she came down another hall with Strom behind her.  
  
"Ah-my head," groaned Toad coming from the lab, "What happened?"  
  
"You slipped and fell on my fist!" growled Victor.  
  
Then Toad saw the drenched trio, "The hell? Did you guys go fishing with your teeth or what?"  
  
"What do the three of you have to say for yourselves?!" interrogated Mystique.  
  
"How about-It was worth it," ventured Bobby.  
  
"Wait-Let me get this straight!" said Pyro turning to Bobby, "It was worth letting your girlfriend hold my head under frigid water?!"  
  
"What?!" asked Mystique.  
  
"Nothing-Nothing at all," said Bobby quickly as he covered St. John's mouth with his hand.  
  
"Anyway," said Magneto pushing Victor in front of him, "we need to talk to the three of you."  
  
"More specifically Sabertooth and Storm have to talk to you." said Mystique shoving Storm in front of her.  
  
Storm and Sabertooth exchanged glances.  
  
"It's like this-" said Sabertooth trialed off.  
  
"Uh, right-" Storm began.  
  
"Look," interrupted Rogue, "Ah'm freezin' mah ass off-If this is because Storm is pregnant and Sabertooth is the father just say it already before one of mah ass totally freezes and crahcks off!"  
  
Needless to say the adults were quite astonished.  
  
"How-?" asked Toad.  
  
"When you yelled at the three of us to leave the lab Ah saw John give you a weird look. Ah told Bobby-" said Rogue looking at her boyfriend.  
  
"And we decided to ask him about it-" explained Bobby as he looked over at Pyro.  
  
"But when I wouldn't talk Rogue decided to hold my head under water until I explained about the bar last month." said John.  
  
"Makes perfect sense," said Toad rolling his eyes.  
  
"So that's why you keep her around." commented Magneto.  
  
-------------  
  
Well as you most likely surmised the Tres Caballeros were sick as dogs. So ill in fact that Mystique decided to give them something for their sneezing and coughing.  
  
"You gave them an etire bottle of Nyquil?!" exclaimed Toad when he saw the heap of 3 motionless teenaged bodies on the couch.  
  
"So?" asked Mystique.  
  
"So," said Toad checking Py for a pulse, "we'll be lucky if they wake up by noon tomorrow.  
  
"Good, maybe then we can get some peace around here," said Mystique as she opened the door to the garage.  
  
-------------  
  
Sometime around 11 Victor and Storm were in their room. Victor was laying on the bed looking over some paperwork, while Ororo was combing her hair listlessly in front of a vanity she had neglected to notice before.  
  
"Yer thinkin' about Toad's offer aren't you," growled Creed.  
  
THUD!-Storm put the comb down.  
  
"And what if I am?!" she asked.  
  
"Are you serious?!" he leapt to his feet.  
  
"No," said Storm putting her head in her hands, pained to admit it.  
  
Victor walked over to the vanity smirking, wrapped his arms around Storm, nuzzled her hair and started to purr.  
  
Ororo stiffened, "Alright, that's enough-OFF!" she jabbed her elbow into his ribcage.  
  
"Ok," said Victor a little winded, "I'm going to go take a shower."  
  
Having said that Victor walked over to the foot of the bed and stripped down to his boxers, throwing his discarded clothing over the comforter. He then went over to the bathroom and closed the door.  
  
Storm waited until she heard the shower turn on before she headed over to the heap of clothes on the foot of the bed and attacked the pants. Sure enough to Storm's dismay in Victor's left front pocket she found it-the missing embalm from the collar of her uniform at the Statue of Liberty.  
  
Her eyes widened, "Goddess!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Been talkin' ta Mystique?" came Victor's voice from behind her.  
  
Storm spun around to see Victor dripping wet with nothing, but a towel wrapped around his waste.  
  
"What?! Mystique?! No!-I was just-looking for loose change," said a rather startled Storm.  
  
"Yer lookin' fer loose change?" said Victor sarcastically as he crossed his arms, "I'm an assassin!-I sneak up on people, loose change would tend to announce my presence!" he paused, "-but then again I guess we're even."  
  
"Even?" Storm arched a platinum eyebrow.  
  
Victor opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Storm knew exactly what it the second she saw it.  
  
Ororo had hacked into the security system in the train station security system, frozen a frame of when she and Sabertooth were standing together in the split second before he started choking her (how romantic-author points finger down her throat).  
  
Storm gasped, "Firstly I can't believe you went through my suit!" she said rather outraged, "Secondly," her tone became less severe, "just out of curiosity, where is my suit?"  
  
"Whadda you care?" asked Sabertooth, "Yer not gonna be able ta fit in it much longer," he said pointing a claw at her stomach.  
  
Storm looked down at her stomach, which was for the time being still flat, then back up at Victor and crossed her arms, "It's the principle of the thing!" she insisted.  
  
"Like you going through my clothes, while I was in the shower?" asked Vic nonchalantly as he leaned against the wall.  
  
"Exac-" Storm caught herself, "No! It's completely different," she said crossing her arms.  
  
"How d'you figure?" asked Sabertooth who was nothing less then amused by the conversation and could smell that Storm was getting pissed, "I have to hear this."  
  
"Self-defense," countered Storm.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"For all I know you could have weaponry on you, like knives!"  
  
"Knives?!-First of all, I don't work with weapons and second of all if I had any I'd be using them to protect you! Anything else yer curious about?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes!" said Storm, "Who takes a two minute shower?! And don't tell me it's because cats hate water!" she added sarcastically.  
  
Victor just chuckled, he could sense her rage was peaking, "Now why would I stay in the shower if I didn't have anyone to play with," he teased and 'checked her out'.  
  
"You can't be serious!" Storm rolled her eyes.  
  
Victor sighed, "I think yer just scared to admit to yerself that yer attracted to me. Because once you do you betray yer teammates. But now that yer gonna have my kid you know you have to admit it at some point. When you do you think that you can't go back to Xavier and you blame me, but most of all you blame yerself fer lettin' happen-Am I gettin' close er what?"  
  
Storm turned away.  
  
"What no witty come back?" asked Victor as he picked up on the rage subsiding.  
  
A soft rain shower began to cascade down onto the balcony.  
  
Victor walked back into the bathroom and reappeared in pajama pants with a roll of toilet paper in his right hand and small, white wastebasket in his left.  
  
"C'mon," he guided Storm to the bed after putting the wastebasket on the nightstand on her side.  
  
The two climbed into bed and for the first time Ororo actually hugged Victor back as rain started to beat down unforgivingly on the metal balcony.  
  
-------------  
  
The mission had been successful and now Toad Mystique and Magneto were headed home in the plane. Toad was piloting with the cockpit closed and needless to say Mystique and Magneto were making-out like a couple of teenagers in the cabin.  
  
Mystique sat up when she heard the rain come down harder, "About fucking time they got somewhere," she commented.  
  
"Perhaps now things will go somewhat back to normal," said Magneto with rather disheveled hair.  
  
"Well then, I guess a celebration is in order," said Mystique triumphantly.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked the Master of Magnetism wrinkling his brow.  
  
Mystique sat back on Magneto's feet and smiled wickedly-  
  
ZIIIIIIIIIP!  
  
"Mystique, what are you-OH!"  
  
Mystique leaned back with his hands behind his head and watched the rain hit the cabin windows as the shape shifter went to work (MWAHAHAHA!).  
  
-------------  
  
2 am  
  
Xavier Institute  
  
All was quiet on the Western front until the microware clock struck 2:03. Then all Hell broke loose-  
  
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  
  
Scott's car alarm went off.  
  
"HOLY SHIT!" yelled Scott when he leaped out of bed and nearly stubbed his toe on the left front tire.  
  
CRASH!-Wolverine kicked the door to Scott's room in.  
  
"Scooter, you alight?!" yelled Wolverine with both sets of claws fully extended.  
  
"YA!" yelled Scott as he reached into his nightstand drawer for remote control.  
  
Woo-Woo-Scott turned the car alarm off.  
  
BAMF!-Kurt ported into the room, "Vat vas all ze noise," he said playing dumb.  
  
Hank ran into the room, "What happened?! I could hear it all the way down in the lab!"  
  
"The beginning of the prank war!" declared Scott.  
  
Professor Xavier rolled by in the hall and stopped at Cyke's door, "Now that the four of you are awake I wanted to talk with you in my office."  
  
The four men looked at each other and figured why the hell not they were already up any way.  
  
On the way out of his room Cyke hit the lock button on the remote-  
  
CLICK-CLICK!  
  
Wolverine raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What?!" asked Scott sticking the keys into his pajama pocket.  
  
Logan shook his head as he put an arm around Scott's shoulders, "Where to begin?" he asked no one in particular.  
  
-------------  
  
We (The royal 'we' that is!) now take you outside the Prof.'s office as he drops the bomb.  
  
"MIEN GOTT!" shouted Kurt.  
  
SKNIT!-"FLAMIN' HELL!" yelled Wolverine.  
  
THUD!-you guessed it Scott fainted.  
  
-------------  
  
'till we meet again I'm Clinically Insane. Thanks for stoppin' by! 


	7. Chaos in the Kitchen

Chapter 7: Chaos in the Kitchen  
  
"Ugh," Storm groaned as she draped herself over the metallic tub. It was the fourth time she had thrown up that night.  
  
"How much longer is this supposed to happen?" asked Victor as he started to rub Ororo's back.  
  
"Until the beginning of the second trimester," said Storm as her stomach wrenched.  
  
"And that would be?" inquired Creed.  
  
"Roughly," Storm coughed, "a month and a half."  
  
"Great," sighed Victor.  
  
"And why is it called 'morning sickness', if it can happen at any point of the day?!" asked an exasperated and once again nauseous Storm, "A man must have named it!-It had to have been a-*hurk*"  
  
"Not again," groaned Creed.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile in the commons room-  
  
"Are you sure this is going to work?" asked Bobby hesitantly.  
  
"Of course not!" said Rogue holding a clipboard, "That's why we're testing it!"  
  
"But why a jet pack?!" insisted Bobby as Pyro helped him put it on.  
  
"Bobby, we've been through this!" scolded Rogue, "To make sure we completely fill Logan's bathroom with whipped cream we have to do it from the window on the second floor and a pulley system will take too long to put up and take down. Not to mention a grappling hook will put holes in the roof."  
  
"What if we rigged a pulley system off one of the trees nearby, put the lighter kids in harnesses and pull them up to the window with buckets of whipped cream and then just lower them back down pleaded Bobby.  
  
"The students hoisting the other students in the harnesses would get tired before the bathroom was completely filled," argued Rogue.  
  
"I guess that's a good point," said Bobby nervously as Pyro tightened the straps securing the jet pack.  
  
"Now turn the dial to number 5," Rogue told John.  
  
VWIIIIIIIIP!-the electronic battery bar rose to maximum capacity.  
  
"Now what?" asked John.  
  
"Help Bobby put this glove on," Rogue handed John a black glove.  
  
"What's this for?" asked Bobby.  
  
"It controls the force of the jet pack," explained Rogue.  
  
"How does it work?" Bobby persisted.  
  
"All you have to do is make a fist." said Rogue glancing down at her clipboard, "Ready?"  
  
"As I'll ever be-" Bobby swallowed hard.  
  
"Good," said Rogue, "now close your fist-slowly."  
  
"No wait, my sleeve is caught!" yelled John.  
  
To late-Bobby had already closed his fist.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Py tugged at his sleeve in vain.  
  
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" screamed bobby as both he and Pyro flew across the room and into a wall-  
  
CRASH!  
  
Rogue covered her eyes with her hand as she tossed the clipboard over her shoulder, "Back to the drawing board," she sighed.  
  
-------------  
  
7:00 am  
  
Xavier Institute  
  
Scott came around slowly on the couch in the Prof's office. He sat up and saw Wolverine sitting opposite him in an oversized chair-  
  
"Logan, I had the strangest dream that the Professor told us Ro was going to have Sabertooth's baby," Scott started to laugh, but then saw Wolverine's expression, "I didn't dream it, did I?"  
  
"No," said Wolverine solemnly.  
  
"Oh my God," said Scott covering his face with his hands, "It's all my fault."  
  
"What?" asked Wolverine clearly in the dark, "How?!"  
  
"If I hadn't gone to that bar none of this would have happened!"  
  
"Don't start that crap, Scooter!" warned Wolverine, "Ro's a big girl, she can take responsibility fer getting' drunk and the result."  
  
"Yes, but-" Scott continued.  
  
"No!" Logan cut in, "She could have come home with us, but chose to stay."  
  
"This is so unprecedented, what now?" asked Scott.  
  
"Why the hell would I know?" asked Logan, "Yer the strategist."  
  
"Well," said Scott, "I think it's in our best interest to make sure she's alright."  
  
"I agree," said Logan, "but how? The Professor isn't going to let us just storm (Mwahaha!) Magneto's complex!-Christ, we don't even know where it is."  
  
"Don't worry," said Scott slyly, "I'll work on the Professor."  
  
"Knew I could count on you, Cyke," said Logan with a wolfish grin.  
  
"Wait a minute," said Scott, "I didn't dream anything last night?"  
  
"I guess not-why?" asked Logan not sure what Scott was getting at.  
  
"Holy shit, MY CAR!" yelled Scott leaping off the couch and heading for the main stairwell up to his room.  
  
-------------  
  
Storm sat at the kitchen table locked into a staring contest with her lunch- a Caesar salad.  
  
Toad was standing off to the side holding an auto body magazine, while Mystique leaned against one of the counters reading an article in Vogue and Victor was cleaning out the freezer-frozen packets of hamburger meet lined most of the countertop space. Magneto was in his office going over various paperwork, while the kids were outside playing manhunt.  
  
Mystique looked up from her magazine, "Is there a problem?"  
  
"What?" Storm looked up.  
  
"Are you gonna eat it or are you trying to work up enough courage to ask it out on a date?" asked Toad sarcastically.  
  
"Yes-No-I mean-"said Storm faltered, "I want it, but I don't want it."  
  
"I get it," said Mystique walking over to the table.  
  
"I don't," said Toad.  
  
"Of course you don't," Mystique chided him as she dumped the salad into a zip-lock bag.  
  
"The hell's that supposed to mean?" asked Toad.  
  
"She's not eating for just her anymore and quite frankly I'm glad she getting some variety in her diet!"  
  
"And just what do you mean by that?!" exclaimed Storm.  
  
"Oh, nothing only that you've been eating salad three times a day since you got here!" said a rather exasperated Mystique.  
  
"What's wrong with salad?!" asked Storm accusingly.  
  
"Nothing," said Mystique defensively, "it's just not very sustaining!"  
  
"What does it matter?" asked Storm, "It's not like I'm going to be able to keep it down!"  
  
Storm just sighed as she walked over to where Sabertooth was standing.  
  
"Just out of curiosity," Toad stepped in, "how can we be sure this kid is Victor's?! For all we know-"  
  
Sabertooth started to growl.  
  
"Don't start," warned Mystique, "because if her attacks you I'm not going to stop him."  
  
"I'm just saying how do we know anything happened a month ago you both were obviously too drunk to remember anything, whose to say anything happened-" asked Toad.  
  
Storm would have been trying to use her powers to fry Toad only she found something more enticeing-meat. Frozen meat to be exact.  
  
The look of it, smell of it, the texture-Why had she never noticed it before?  
  
"Whoa-what are you doing?!" Mystique dove forward and grabbed a package of frozen meat before Storm bit into it cellophane, styrophome (don't know if that's spelled right) and all!  
  
"I-I don't know!" Ororo recoiled in horror once she realized what she was about to do.  
  
"What's say we cook this first?" asked Mystique still a little caught off guard at what Storm was about to do.  
  
Victor stopped growling and started purring as he wrapped a well muscled arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest, "Anymore doubts, Toad?" he asked nuzzling Ororo's hair. 


	8. Do, a Deer

Chapter 8: Do, a Deer  
  
"Oh mah Gawd!" exclaimed Rogue as she, Bobby and John walked up from the woods.  
  
There hanging up side down from the from one of the trees just outside the front door was the headless body of a stag. The head had literally been torn off, other than that the body was completely in tact.  
  
A puddle of blood had accumulated on the ground in a large dark circle.  
  
"What did that?!" asked Bobby rather socked at the sight himself.  
  
"Sabertooth," said John a little too relaxed for the situation at hand, "looks like it's venison for dinner tonight."  
  
"Does he do stuff like this a lot?" asked Bobby.  
  
"Ya," confirmed Pyro, "but never anything this big."  
  
"What do you mean?" inquired Bobby.  
  
"Small stuff," explained Py, "like rabbits, quail, pheasant, trout-he even nabbed a fox once."  
  
"And Mystique doesn't care that there's blood everywhere and an animal carcass hanging outside from a tree?!" asked Rogue, "I find that hard to believe."  
  
"Actually, they came to an agreement awhile back, 'as long as he cleans it she'll cook it'."  
  
" "That's all well and good," said Rogue, "but I think you two are missing the big picture here-"  
  
"Oh, really and what's that?" asked St. John sarcastically.  
  
"Where's the head?!" asked Rogue still a bit disturbed.  
  
"Who knows?" said John shrugging.  
  
"Crushed it," came a voice from behind.  
  
The three teens spun around to find Creed standing behind them holding a recently sharpened titanium carving knife.  
  
"Good to know," said Rogue meekly, as she stared at the shiny blade of the knife.  
  
Just then Toad walked out the front door.  
  
"Did you guys want help with your jet pack-or was Vic here in the middle of an Anatomy lesson?" Toad smirked when he saw the look on kids' faces as Sabertooth stood there with the knife.  
  
"I'm up for the anatomy lesson," said Bobby.  
  
"WHAT?!" Rogue and John gapped at Bobby.  
  
"Hey, being launched into a metal wall at mach 1 once is more than enough for one day," said Bobby wearily.  
  
"Fiahne, have it your way," sighed Rogue as she sat down on a rock.  
  
"Why the hell not?" reasoned Py.  
  
"Are you three serious?!" asked Toad a little taken back.  
  
"Sure it's not like we have an previous engagements," said Popsicle (Bobby) sitting down beside Rogue.  
  
"Even if we did," said Rogue with a smirk, "I doubt we'd make it-on tiahme anyway."  
  
The three teens burst out laughing, while Sabertooth and Toad exchanged concerned looks obviously wondering about the younger mutant sanity.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile back at the Institute Cyke sat at his desk staring into space. It was the third day he had given his students the period off-with no assignment!  
  
It was so out of character-there was no way the Prof. would be able to pass this up to come in and have a "heart to heart"-you know, just to see if everyone was ok.  
  
Sure enough, as if on cue the Professor appeared at the door, wearing his usual warm smile, "Is everything alright, Scott?"  
  
"Hmm?" Scott half snapped out of his day dream, "Ya, everything's fine."  
  
"The students are starting to worry," said the Prof. as he wheeled over to the desk. As he got closer Xavier noticed that Cyke was sporting a 5 o'clock shadow.  
  
"Funny, I thought they'd enjoy sometime off," said Scott staring off into space.  
  
"Scott, that's not the point-and is that one of Logan's flanel shirts?!"  
  
"Wha?," Scott looked down, "Oh ya, he let me borrow it yesterday-I haven't gotten around to doing any laundry since the last mission."  
  
"So you slept in it?" asked the Prof.  
  
"Oh no, I wasn't tired last night," said Scott rather pathetically.  
  
That's when Xavier noticed a framed picture laying face down on Scott's desk. He stood it back up-It was a photo from the first time Scott, Jean and Ororo tried on the X-suit prototypes.  
  
"Why don't you go lay down in the medical lab?" suggested Charles.  
  
"I don't know-" said Scott hesitantly, "What if one of the students needs me?"  
  
"Don't worry about it," assured the Prof. "I'm sure I can handle whatever comes up."  
  
"Well, alright," said Scott reluctantly as he got up and trudged down to the med lab.  
  
-------------  
  
Medical Lab  
  
Hank, Logan and Kurt were waiting anxiously for Scott to come down. A huge wave of relief washed over them when they saw Scott at the door.  
  
"So?" asked Hank hesitantly.  
  
"Ja, what happened Herr Scott?" asked Kurt as he threw Cyke a damp towel.  
  
Scott smiled as he took the towel to his face and washed away part of his 5 o'clock shadow, "He bought it."  
  
"You magnificent bastard!" exclaimed Wolverine as he lit a cigar, "what pushed him over the edge?"  
  
"I don't know," said Scott truthfully, "I think it was between Kurt's make- up job with the 5 o'clock shadow and Logan's shirt that peeked his concern right away, but Hank's idea to turn the picture down definitely drove the point home."  
  
"Who cares what it was the point is it worked!" said Hank triumphantly.  
  
"Wait-Are you sure it worked? I mean how do you know he didn't just read your mind and decide to play along, for now?" asked Wolverine.  
  
-------------  
  
Ororo was standing sideways in front of the mirror in the vanity holding her shirt up to where her bra began.  
  
Just then Victor walked in with a covered plate, "What are you doing?!" he half laughed.  
  
"Wha?!" Ororo spun around, "Oh, you startled me."  
  
"Something wrong?" Victor asked.  
  
"Yes," said Storm a little nervously, "I'm starting to show!"  
  
"Would you relax?" Vic rolled his eyes as he put the tray down on a table, "You were bound to eventually. Besides yer not showin' that much, it just looks like you had a few beers."  
  
Storm sighed as she pulled her shirt back down, "How quickly you forget it's because I 'had a few beers' that were both standing here." 


	9. Upping the Ante 3 Fold

Chapter 9: Upping the Ante 3 Fold  
  
Well it took the better part of three months but Scott's persistence won out in the end. Charles finally caved and called Magneto-  
  
Of course Magneto picked up in his usual "charming" demeanor after he read the name off his caller ID, "Hello, Charles-Can't say I've heard from you in awhile.  
  
"Yes, well-"  
  
"You want to see Storm (who's 4 mo. Pregnant at this point)-rather your people do, only you're not sure how they would react to Victor," dictated Magneto.  
  
"Precisely," said Xavier more that a little relieved that Eric was well aware of his concerns.  
  
Magneto sighed, "Victor's not going to like this arrangement."  
  
"As feared," said Charles, "and what does he think of Rogue?"  
  
"I don't think he knows Bobby or Rogue that well, they tend to stay close to Pyro, why?" asked the Master of Magnetism a bit confused.  
  
"I just wanted to speak with her in person about turning the water in the pool into Jello." said the Prof. quite frankly.  
  
"I'll see what I can do," laughed Magneto.  
  
~10 Minutes Later Storm and Victor found themselves in Magneto's office~  
  
"WHAT?!" Both Storm and Creed yelled at the same time.  
  
"The X-Men have asked to see Storm and I find that a reasonable request," said Magneto.  
  
Victor started to growl.  
  
Storm put her hand over Victor's to stop him from lunging at Magneto, "How long would I be with them?" asked Ororo.  
  
"Just the day," said Magneto.  
  
"I guess that's reasonable," said Storm.  
  
"You can't be serious," Victor glared at Storm.  
  
"I'll be sending Rogue with Storm," Magneto tried to reassure Victor.  
  
"When will Rogue and I be going?" asked Storm.  
  
"Tomorrow," said Magneto.  
  
-------------  
  
Later that night Ororo and Victor were laying in bed. She was reading a book, while he stared up ceiling.  
  
"You're angry, aren't you?" asked Storm.  
  
"What gives you that idea?" asked Victor half growling.  
  
"Because generally by this time of night you're on my side of the bed nuzzling my neck and purring until I let you put your head down on my stomach." Storm looked up from her book.  
  
"Damn it," swore Victor under his breath.  
  
"What?" asked Storm.  
  
"I can't stay angry at you," he sighed.  
  
Ororo put her book down on the nightstand and shivered a little.  
  
"Are you cold?" asked Victor.  
  
"A little-I guess," said Storm not thinking too much of it.  
  
The next thing she knew Victor had gotten up and come back with a blanket- made from a deer hide.  
  
"Where did this come from?" she asked as he climbed back into bed, "It's beautiful."  
  
"I made it from a buck hide," said Victor wrapping his arm around Ororo.  
  
"Oh, well it's really warm-" Ororo trailed off.  
  
The two looked at each other for a moment-then went in for the kiss (Oh, ya like you couldn't deduce this was coming-bet you can't guess the aftermath).  
  
CHOMP!  
  
"Ah!-You bit me," Victor pulled away from Storm, "why didn't you tell me you were into that?!-We coulda had a lot of fun-"  
  
"Because I'm not-at least I don't think so," said Storm rubbing her side, "Ow!-That hurt!"  
  
"What hurt?-I didn't cut you did I?!" he moved his fingers and looked at her shoulder.  
  
"No-" said Storm shifting uneasily.  
  
"Then what?" asked Victor.  
  
"This," Storm put his paw over part of her stomach, "-Ow!"  
  
"Was that a kick?!" asked Victor in disbelief.  
  
"I think so," said Storm, "but that one felt like it was on both sides."  
  
"Has that ever happened before?"  
  
"No," said Storm.  
  
Victor started to purr and nuzzle Storm's neck.  
  
-------------  
  
Storm and Rogue arrived at the Xavier Institute around 10 the next morning and received a warm welcome from the Prof., Scott, Nightcrawler, Hank and Logan.  
  
Logan hugged Rogue like he hadn't seen her in over a century, "You alright, kid?"  
  
"Ya, Logan Ah'm fiahne whay?" asked Marie.  
  
"Good, now run-" said Wolverine in a deadly tone.  
  
"Run, whay?" asked Rogue.  
  
"Do you have any idea how hard it is to completely remove whipped cream from clothes, let alone a bathroom?!" yelled Wolverine.  
  
"Point taken," said Rogue as she turned to Storm and put a gloved hand on her shoulder, "Yer on yer on-pray for me!" With that having been said Marie took off down the hall.  
  
SKNIT!-Wolverine was right on her heels.  
  
The remaining five headed into one of the parlors. After about a 20 minute conversation with Rogue and Wolverine running past the window every couple of minutes Kurt and Scott finally decided it was time restrain Wolverine and give Rogue a break, while Scott lectured her on leaving the cars in the garage.  
  
Meanwhile Hank and Ororo headed down to the medical lab for an ultrasound, while the Prof. went off to teach a class. Xavier picked up that Storm was a little on edge and decided his presence in the medical lab would cause some unneeded anxiety.  
  
"I'm afraid this it going to be cold," warned Hank.  
  
"That's alright," Storm smiled.  
  
Hank turned on the machine, "Well this is interesting-"  
  
-------------  
  
6:30 pm  
  
Mags lair-  
  
SMASH!-could be heard through out the complex.  
  
Marie was sitting in Magneto's office opposite the Master of Magnetism himself and Mystique, who had draped herself around her employer's shoulders.  
  
"There goes the other table lamp," Mystique looked at Magneto.  
  
KRAK-BOOM!  
  
"Ah've never seen her this pissed," admitted Rogue wincing when she saw a bolt of lightning.  
  
"The question is why," said Magneto characteristically too calm for the situation.  
  
"Ah don't know." said Rogue, "Ah was too busy attempting not ta be scoured by Logan! Ah mean really, who would think a man would put so much stock in a bathroom?!"  
  
"It's a common misconception," said Mystique, "you'll learn that for yourself later on."  
  
"And just what is that supposed to mean?!" Magneto shot a look towards Mystique.  
  
"I'm just saying the bathroom is not a runway! Honestly, I can't remember one time I've walked in and you weren't in front of the mirror!" said Mystique.  
  
"Nor is the bathroom a spa! I swear you're half fish, how can anyone spend that much time in the tub?!" asked Magneto.  
  
The discussion would have gone on only the fax machine went off. Mystique retrieved the piece of paper and glanced at the heading, "It's from him (Xavier)."  
  
"Is it now?" asked Magneto accepting the paper from Mystique, "Well, this explains a lot," he said looking at the text."  
  
-------------  
  
FOMF!-Sabertooth got nailed with a pillow, she thrown just about everything else that wasn't bolted down.  
  
"Easy, Ro, just calm down and tell me what's wrong," said Victor holding up his paws nothing short of submissively, "What did those little X-Fucks do to you?"  
  
FWAP!-the other pillow slapped Victor across the face.  
  
"Nothing! It's what you did!" shouted Storm.  
  
"What I did?" Victor was confused, "Is this about the baby?"  
  
Victor held both of Storm's fists in his paws.  
  
"Do you know what it is?" he asked.  
  
CRACK-BOOM!-Ororo fell into Victor's chest, he wrapped his arms around her to hold he up.  
  
"Well, what is it? A girl?"  
  
"No," said Storm quietly as she leaned on Victor for support, she was feeling quite dizzy from using her powers.  
  
"It's a boy?" asked Creed excidedly.  
  
"Sort of," Storm started to tear up.  
  
"'Sort of' what does that mean?"  
  
"They're all boys," Ororo started to cry.  
  
"All?" Victor looked at her rather caught off guard.  
  
"Triplets," Storm sobbed into Victor's chest. 


	10. Who Knew? Killing is Lucrative!

Chapter 10: Who Knew?!-Killing is Lucrative  
  
I own nothing  
  
Later that night, around 11:30 to be specific, Mystique and Magneto were sitting in bed.  
  
"This was unexpected-" said Mystique not sure how to react, "I don't blame her for being upset. I just happy Toad had the boy in the lab during her little electrical out burst."  
  
"Well it certainly explains why she was so sick during the first trimester," said Magneto as he went back through the paperwork Xavier faxed over.  
  
"Three against one hardly seems fair," said Mystique.  
  
"I think you mean three mutants against one mutant," said Magneto.  
  
"What?! How can you tell?" asked Mystique, "It still so early."  
  
"It seems they've inherited more from their father than we would have thought," said Magneto with a smile.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Mystique completely bewildered.  
  
"What does that look like to you?" asked Magneto tracing part of the ultrasound with his index finger.  
  
"It looks like a-Well, they are all boys," said Mystique rather flustered.  
  
"It's not," chuckled Magneto.  
  
"Then what is it?!" asked Mystique shooting him a superior look.  
  
"A tail."  
  
-------------  
  
The next morning Victor woke up, took a shower and got dressed, while Storm lay completely under the covers.  
  
"I'm going to the kitchen. What do you want?" he asked.  
  
The lump under the comforter the bed didn't move.  
  
Victor rolled his black eyes, "I know you're no asleep!"  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"Fine," sighed Victor. If there was one thing he had learned quickly, it was to leave Storm alone when she was upset.  
  
Storm was in no mood to move. Her body ached and a migraine was threatening to ruin an already horrific morning.  
  
Victor just had to say one more thing, "Are you sure you want to by laying on your stomach?"  
  
FWAP!-Victor got winged with a pillow.  
  
"I'm going, I'm going," said Victor as he put the pillow back down on bed and headed out the door.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile in the lab the teens were sitting around on their asses, while Mystique flipped through a magazine and Toad worked on the hard drive of a computer.  
  
The teens knew something was up, just not what.  
  
~Silence~  
  
Rogue was the first to break it, "Are you gonna tell us what's goin' on or do Ah have to kill John?"  
  
"For the love of everything holy!-she not kidding," said John nervously.  
  
"He's got a point," said Bobby with a grin.  
  
Toad looked over at Mystique.  
  
"No secrets this time," she decreed.  
  
Shiiiiiiiiiiiip-Toad sent a Xerox across the table to the teens.  
  
"The hell-" Py cocked his head like a puppy, "What is this a fuzzy blueprint of a pyramid?"  
  
Rogue rolled her eyes, "It's an ultrasound, dumb ass."  
  
"What are we supposed to be looking at?" asked Bobby inquisitively.  
  
"Triplets, all male," explained Mystique.  
  
Speaking of triple-Can I get a tripple jaw drop?!  
  
-------------  
  
Later that day around 6ish, pm that is, Victor returned to the room with a tray of food. Don't get me wrong, he would have returned earlier, but both Magneto and Mystique had advised him otherwise.  
  
She was still under the comforter.  
  
"Go away!" she grumbled from beneath the covers.  
  
"You haven't eaten all day!" objected Victor.  
  
"I don't~Nnnnnngh~care!" Storm insisted.  
  
"Sounds like-they-do,"said Vic raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Ugh, fine," Storm seceded by sitting up in bed.  
  
He put the tray down over her knees.  
  
"You want to tell me what all of this is about?" asked Vic as he popped a beer for himself.  
  
Storm was silent for a minute, "I'm sorry Victor, but one was bad enough-"  
  
"The hell is that supposed to mean?" said Vic getting a little more than defensive.  
  
"I mean financially wise-one child is expensive enough, but three?"  
  
Victor laughed, "Is that all?!"  
  
"Well, no," said Storm a little confused at his reaction, "I mean we also need a house, then there's the whole mutant issue and I never planned on living at the Institute my entire life. I also always planned on having children-I just never planned on when-and-I still have to tell the kids!"  
  
"Whoa, clam down-one problem at a time," Victor attempted to put Storm's mind at ease.  
  
"Firstly, the ankle biters already know and once they got over their initial shock Mystique told me they're all really excited and secondly," Victor got up and retrieved a small object from the top drawer of the bureau and handed it to Storm.  
  
"A bank book?!" ok it's safe to say-now-she was confused. She had always pictured Victor as a man who lived life day to day, so to speak.  
  
"And if you want a house all I have to do is make a call," he said rubbing one of her stomach.  
  
Storm opened her the book and her jaw dropped (That's been happening a lot- huh?), "V-V-Victor there's 2.6 billion dollars in here!"  
  
"Ya," said Vic rubbing the back of his neck, "I have twelve more of those laying around here somewhere." 


	11. A New Proposal

Chapter 11: A New Proposal  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Later that night Ororo had an earth shattering nightmare. The triplets were born and there was a mob of protesters and news crews trying to storm (hehe) the Institute's gates.  
  
It was her fault everyone was in danger.  
  
The students were frantically running up and down the halls. Their backpacks, papers, and pens were strewn all over. Scott and Wolverine had gone down to the lower levels to suit up.  
  
The media had broken through the gate and were running up to the front door.  
  
Victor went to kill them off-she watched as he was cut down in the doorway-  
  
Before she could get to him Scott and Logan grabbed her, while Kurt transported the triplets down to the hanger.  
  
Storm woke up screaming as Victor gently shook her, "Ro, wake up!"  
  
"NO, RELEASE-Vic?" Storm finally came to, "You're alive!"  
  
She hugged and kissed him.  
  
"You alright?" asked Vic a little concerned. He could hear her heart racing.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine now." she said panting, "I think I'm going to go to the kitchen."  
  
"Do you want me to come?" asked Vic with anticipation.  
  
"No, that's alright," said Storm still a bit shaken as she headed for the door.  
  
By the time Storm got to the commons room it was safe to say she was definitely having second, third and fourth thoughts about the whole situation. She started to pace the room. She didn't know what to do. She needed time to think, but not here.  
  
-------------  
  
KRAK-BOOM!  
  
A clap of thunder woke both Magneto and Mystique with a start.  
  
"Ugh, don't tell me she went off again!" groaned Mystique.  
  
"You take Storm, I'll handle everyone else," sighed Magneto.  
  
"I think I'm getting the short end of the stick, but alright," agreed Mystique, "but I want backup!"  
  
"Back up?!" asked Magneto, "What do you mean an AK-47?"  
  
"No, I meant Rogue," said Mystique.  
  
"She'll be waiting the commons room when you bring Storm back from the beach." said Magneto.  
  
-------------  
  
When Mystique reached the beach it was pouring. It didn't take the shape shifter long to find Storm who was sitting on a rock by only a few feet from the shore.  
  
"Waiting for a bus?" asked Mystique sarcastically as approached carrying an umbrella.  
  
"What difference does it make?" Ororo sniffled.  
  
"None I suppose other than you're going to be waiting quite a while," said Mystique.  
  
"That's fine by me," said Ororo starting to shiver.  
  
"This is insane," said Mystique, "come back inside and dry off."  
  
"They're never going to have normal lives you know." said Storm, "I'm beginning to think it would have been easier to take Toad up on his offer, that way we all could have gone on like none of this happened."  
  
"Firstly I don't believe you and secondly, Toad, is an absolute jackass. He just wants to go to Vegas with Victor and he knows he'll never be able to tear Vic away from you once the kids are born. I'll beat him up if you want-" offered Mystique.  
  
"That's alright," said Storm miserably, "I can't stay here."  
  
"Where are you planning to go?!" asked Mystique a little surprised.  
  
"Far away from this war-I refuse to raise children in an environment where they have to be on guard 24 hours a day and in a constant state of turmoil!" sobbed Storm.  
  
It started to rain harder.  
  
"You're soaked! Let's go back inside and dry you off." Mystique offered.  
  
It took the shape shifter good 10 more minutes before she was able to coax Ororo to follow her back to the complex.  
  
-------------  
  
While Mystique was working with Ororo, Magneto was having some unforeseen difficulties. I'm sure everyone is aware that teenagers like to spend time together-not to mention in close quarters, that's what Magneto was having trouble with.  
  
All three teens had fallen asleep on Pyro's single bed. John had fallen asleep sitting up with his back against the headboard on one side of the bed, while Bobby had fallen asleep on the other side of the bed lying down with his arm around Rogue's waist who had of fallen a sleep between the boys.  
  
This was obviously a two mutant job, so the Master of Magnetism enlisted Toad's aid.  
  
The object of the mission was to wake Rogue and get her out of the room without waking the boys.  
  
Toad started by lifting Py off the bed as Magneto carefully moved Bobby's hand from Rouge's waist and then carefully reached over Bobby and lifted her off the bed. Toad placed John back on the bed. Then they headed out of the room closing the door behind them.  
  
In the hall Magneto handed Rogue to Toad, put a grey, cloth glove on, and then covered Rogue's mouth.  
  
She jolted awake in Toad's arms, "MMMmmmpf."  
  
"Don't scream," warned Magneto.  
  
Toad stood her on her feet.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you two?!" hissed Marie, "Ah mean really who wakes someone up in the middle of the niahght fer noth-"  
  
KRAK-BOOM!  
  
"Oh," said Marie a little sheepishly, "Storm's on the warpath again. What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Go to the commons room and wait for her and Mystique," said Magneto.  
  
"I meant what do you want me to do that I stand a chance of returning from?" asked Rogue.  
  
Toad attempted to hide a smirk.  
  
"Just go," order Magneto.  
  
-------------  
  
Rogue barely made it into the commons room before Mystique came in with Storm who was still crying a little.  
  
"Rogue, go get some towels and some dry clothes-" Mystique began.  
  
"Wait, you mean from her room?!" asked Rogue unaware of the fear in her voice.  
  
"Where else?" asked Mystique as she sat Storm down on the couch.  
  
Rogue sighed, "What is it with you people an' suicide missions?!"  
  
Mystique glared at her.  
  
"Ah'm goin', Ah' goin'!" groaned Marie.  
  
-------------  
  
Finding the room wasn't hard; it was getting in and out that was!  
  
Luckily for Rogue she knew where Bobby kept an extra black. So using the blanket as cover to blend in with the darkened surroundings of the room, She knelt down and slowly pushed the door open just enough and started to cross the floor towards what she thought was a closet.  
  
"Please, don't let Sabertooth wake up-Please, don't let Sabertooth wake up," thought Rogue as she crawled across the floor.  
  
Rogue had made it just past the foot of the bed, when-  
  
"I can see in the dark, ya know," came Sabertooth's voice from somewhere in the room, "an' besides yer heading toward the bathroom.  
  
Rogue froze  
  
*CLICK*-Victor turned on the nightstand lamp.  
  
Rogue sat up on her knees and tossed the blanket behind her, "Ah swear this look a hell of a lot better on paper."  
  
"Why don't you start with why yer in here?" Victor began attempting not to scare her, but at the extremely amused at her ridiculous tactics.  
  
"Mystique sent me for some towels and a change of dry clothes," explained Rogue.  
  
"Why? What happened?! Is Ro alright?!" said Vic quickly jumping out of bed.  
  
"Ya, she just freaked out a little on the beach-" Rogue started.  
  
"I'm coming with you," said Victor as he ran into the bathroom and the bureau returning with dry clothes and about five towels.  
  
Rogue was sure this wasn't what Mystique wanted, but then again she was sure her chances of surviving standing up to Sabertooth were somewhere around 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 out of 100.  
  
As she opened the door and cross the threshold back into the hall, Rogue nearly walked into Toad and Magneto.  
  
"CHIAHST! Ya scared the hell out of meh!" Rogue jumped.  
  
"Ya, well you deserved it!" argued Toad.  
  
"Whay because yer a jerk?!" asked Rogue.  
  
"One word-BLANKET!" said Toad.  
  
"Alriahght, Ah admit it wasn't a great plan, but at least Ah was thinking ahead!"  
  
"Like the night we captured you?" asked Toad.  
  
"IT'S ON!" yelled Rogue.  
  
Magneto rolled his eyes, "That's enough children!"  
  
"Let's go," said Creed.  
  
"No, no," said Magneto, "Not us, just Rogue."  
  
Victor started to growl.  
  
"She needs to calm down!" said Magneto.  
  
"And whenever she gets like this you only seem to make it worse." Toad ventured.  
  
"Fine," sighed Victor handing Rogue the towels and clothes.  
  
-------------  
  
It took the combine efforts of both Mystique and Rogue two hours to get Storm to calm down completely. By the time Ororo headed back to her room Rogue and Mystique had fallen asleep on the couch.  
  
Storm entered the room sheepishly.  
  
Victor was in bed going over some documents with really small print.  
  
He looked up, "Everything alright?"  
  
"Yes, just hormones," Storm attempted to shrug it off.  
  
"Are you sure this didn't have anything to do with your dream earlier?" asked Victor.  
  
Storm sighed, "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"  
  
"No," he said with a smirk.  
  
"I'm just concerned about raising three children in the middle of a war zone," said Storm as climbed into bed.  
  
"Do you always put a huge burden on yourself?!" asked Victor rather concerned.  
  
"I suppose, why?" asked Storm.  
  
"I think it's time you started sharing it with someone," said Victor.  
  
"Who?" asked Ororo.  
  
"Me," said Vic handing her a piece of paper and a pen.  
  
"A marriage license?!" gasped Storm. 


	12. Arms and the Answer

Chapter 12: Arms and the Answer  
  
I own nothing and I'm not too thrilled about it, so let's just drop the subject, shall we? And as a side note I would just like to say that no I didn't die! School started up again and all my free time just went- ziiiiiiip-out the window, DAMMIT! But fear not, for I have no intentions of abandoning this story or any other of my stories.  
  
-And now, let's pick up where we last left off-  
  
"Oh-uh-Victor-I don't know," said Storm rather hesitantly.  
  
"What's not to know?" asked Victor.  
  
"I mean-I-" stammered Ororo.  
  
"Yer stallin'," purred Creed chuckling.  
  
"Yes, but-I just don't want you to feel pressured to-" Storm trailed of, "just because I'm-"  
  
Victor sighed, "I don't do things because I have to; I do things because I want to."  
  
Storm took the pen and the paper-then froze.  
  
"Now what?!" asked an exasperated Vic.  
  
"I need a second opinion," said Ororo dismissively.  
  
"A second opinion?!" Victor was dumbfounded, "From who?!"  
  
"I don't-OW!" Storm rubbed her side.  
  
Victor laughed, "There's your second opinion."  
  
"I guess I can't argue with that," Ororo said smiling as she signed the marriage license she held in her hand, "Mmmph?!"  
  
Victor wrapped his arms around Storm and kissed her for the first time as his wife.  
  
Storm pushed away after a few seconds, "Don't tell anyone," she warned.  
  
"Why?" asked Victor.  
  
"I just don't want anyone to know yet. That's all," Storm looked away.  
  
Victor sighed. He knew she was concerned with the way the other mutants might react, "Alright."  
  
Ororo leaned over and kissed her husband, "Thank you."  
  
Victor tucked the license into the drawer of the nightstand as Storm lay down to sleep and then turned out the light.  
  
"Ugh," Storm groaned rolling onto her side.  
  
"You alright?" asked Victor ready to spring into action.  
  
"I'm fine," she assured him sleepily, "I just have the Brazilian soccer team practicing during the off season in my stomach."  
  
He laughed as he pulled Ororo into his chest and started to rub her stomach, "Ok, boys, let's give Mom a break."  
  
"I just hope this isn't the beginning of a trend," sighed Storm knowing far too well how much of a hell raiser her husband was.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile Mystique and Magneto headed back to bed, leaving Rogue to sleep on the couch.  
  
Once they reached their room Mystique sank down into the bed, "I can't take many more of these outbursts."  
  
"I know," concurred Magneto, "I can't remember the last time I was this tired."  
  
"Too tired for-" Mystique trailed off, raising an eyebrow quizzically.  
  
"I'm never-that-tired!" said Magneto with a wicked grin.  
  
*click*-The room went dark.  
  
"ERIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIC!" screamed Mystique.  
  
-------------  
  
Rogue jolted awake, "What was that?"  
  
"Ugh, Mystique and Magneto are at it again," groaned Toad as he headed for the coffee maker.  
  
"Damn," said Rouge settling back into the couch, "and Ah thought Kitty and Colossus were loud!"  
  
Toad couldn't help but smirk when Rogue wrapped a throw pillow around her head as Mystique and Magneto got increasingly louder.  
  
------------  
  
Later that morning the boys woke up slowly on John's bed. It started with a thin stream of sunlight coming through a gap in the heavy, navy blue curtains-the beam was hitting John in the eye, naturally he rolled over, only by doing so he rolled on top of Bobby.  
  
Bobby in his mostly unconscious state figured John was Rogue and started to stoke "her" hair.  
  
"Mmmmhhh?" John didn't find this gesture to be so out of place, generally Mystique woke him by gently stroking his hair, "Time to get up already?"  
  
"Damn, Rogue, when did you cut your hair and since when do you have a cold?" asked Bobby.  
  
There was a pause-  
  
Both boys' eyes shot open-  
  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
------------  
  
"What the hell?!" Rogue sat up on the couch again and looked around.  
  
She didn't see any one.  
  
"Well, Ah'm up now," she sighed as she padded over to the refrigerator.  
  
She opened the door and grimaced at the left-overs staring her in the face.  
  
SLAM!-Rogue threw the door shut before she gagged.  
  
"What's this?" Marie peeled a note off the door.  
  
It read as follows:  
  
Went to change the oil in the helicopter and give it a tune up.  
  
Back later,  
  
Toad and Sabretooth  
  
PS-And for the love of everything unholy do not under any circumstances go near Magneto and Mystique's room. They generally go for a quickie after they wake up and they'll kill anyone who gets in the way!  
  
Rogue put the note down and headed down the hall to check on Storm after that "little" out burst last night.  
  
-------------  
  
"DUDE, WHAT THE FUCK?!" exclaimed Bobby shoving John off of him.  
  
"DUDE, WHAT THE FUCK YOURSELF?!" yelled John wrinkling his nose in disgust.  
  
"DUDE, I thought you were Rogue!"  
  
"DUDE, I thought you were Mystique!"  
  
"DUDE!"  
  
"DUDE!  
  
There was a pause-  
  
"This never happened," said Bobby cautiously.  
  
"Damn straight it didn't," said John backing away from the bed.  
  
"Wanna go watch football?" asked Bobby.  
  
"Sounds like a plan," said John.  
  
-------------  
  
knock, knock-Rogue wrapped lightly on the door, ½ hoping Storm was still asleep.  
  
"Come in," came Storm's voice.  
  
Marie breathed a silent sigh of relief and thought, "At least it sounds like she's in a better mood."  
  
Still Rogue entered cautiously and much to she surprise she found Storm combing her hair at the vanity with a huge smile on her face.  
  
"Uh, Storm are you alright?"  
  
"Yes Rogue, I'm fine." said Storm, "Why?"  
  
"Oh, Ah just wanted see if you had had breakfast yet." Rogue said coyly.  
  
"Oh, yes, Vic and I had breakfast earlier." said Storm, "Did the note he left say when he was coming back?"  
  
"Um, no it didn't," said Marie taken by surprise at Storm's question considering last night she couldn't seem to get far enough away from him, "whahy?"  
  
"No reason," said Storm listlessly.  
  
Marie just shrugged it off and chalked it up to hormones. "Ah, swear you two are startin' to act like an old married couple.  
  
"Married?!-W-Who said anything about married?" said Storm defensively, "That's ridiculous!"  
  
"It's just a fig-yah of speech." said Rogue giggling, "It's not like he proposed and you said 'yes'."  
  
Storm's smile faded.  
  
"Oh mah GAWD!" Rogue stood there staring wide eyed.  
  
Storm spun around, "Rogue you can't tell anyone!" she warned in a severe tone.  
  
"Ah promise. Ah won't tell anyone!" said Rogue excitedly, "Now Ah want details!"  
  
"Rogue, I think you're going to be disappointed. There's not much to tell." admitted Storm.  
  
"Please!" Rogue begged.  
  
2 min. later-  
  
Rogue arched an eyebrow, "That's it?! The two of you signed a marriage license."  
  
"I know it's anticlimactic, but-Ow!-*they* talked me into it," said Ro a little winded as she rubbed her side.  
  
"Do they kick a lot?" asked Marie.  
  
"All day and night." Ororo gave a weary but content sigh, "See-"  
  
Ororo put Marie's hand on her stomach-  
  
"Whoa-" Rogue jumped at the kick, "they're definitely Sabretooth's."  
  
-------------  
  
Later that day-  
  
All the teens had reconvened in the lab and were for the most part just sitting around (just as a side note Bobby and John weren't making eye contact).  
  
All of a sudden the fax machine went off.  
  
John walked over and picked up a sheet of paper, "Uh, guys yer not gonna believe this-"  
  
"What?" asked Bobby.  
  
"I guess school just started again today and Cyke was nice enough to fax over your homework." John said with a smirk.  
  
"That sick BASTARD!" exclaimed Rogue.  
  
"I know!" said Bobby, "This is technically still a hostage situation and all he's worried about is us doing homework?!"  
  
"He must not think you're in any immediate danger," said John.  
  
"That sadistic mother-" Bobby began as Toad walked in.  
  
"I take it I missed something," said Toad.  
  
"Cyke, faxed over Bobby and Rogue's homework, apparently school started today," explained John.  
  
"Wasn't that nice of him," said Toad laughing.  
  
Rogue crossed her arms, "Gawd, some days Ah whish he'd just point a gun up his ass and fire!"  
  
All three men fell out laughing.  
  
"So?" asked Toad, "What are you going to do to counter act this?"  
  
"Hhhhmmm," Rogue smiled thoughtfully, "Ah have a plan."  
  
The boys looked at each other.  
  
"This won't end well," sighed Bobby.  
  
"Don't I know it," said John recalling his little water trauma.  
  
"Abandon ship," said Toad looking over at the boys, "Women and mutants first!"  
  
-------------  
  
~Wow I didn't think this chapter would be so long!~ 


	13. Hail to the Queen

Chapter 13: Hail to the Queen  
  
Disclaimer: I own the antics, not the characters.  
  
3:45am at the Xavier Institute  
  
Scott Summers was laying on his back, wide awake, staring up at the ceiling. It was the third night in a row he had only slept for just shy of two hours.  
  
There were no two ways around it-  
  
He was worried:  
  
About Ororo, about the politics of the teams, about mutants in general and especially about all the havoc the combined forces of Rogue, Bobby and John could cause.  
  
He rolled over and looked at the clock-  
  
3:45am  
  
He sighed-Those kids were going to be the death of him!  
  
-------------  
  
Later that morning all the adults met in Magneto's office, which left the kids to their homework.  
  
Storm and Sabretooth came in and sat across the metallic desk from Magneto, Mystique and Toad.  
  
"You wanted to see us?" Storm asked the Master of Magnetism.  
  
"Yes," Magneto began slowly, "We need to talk about sending the two of you back to the Institute." he paused for a reaction.  
  
"What? Why?!" asked Victor was a little more than taken off guard.  
  
"Because the medical lab here isn't equipped for a delivery," explained Toad.  
  
"We're also surrounded by water, which only complicates the situation," Mystique added.  
  
"I don't know," said Victor hesitantly.  
  
Storm looked over at Victor and smirked, "What's not to know?" (Oh, ya it was pay back time for springing that marriage license on her-Mwahahaha!)  
  
Victor knew he wasn't going to win this one, "When do we leave?" he sighed.  
  
"Tomorrow," said Magneto.  
  
"Why so soon?" asked Victor tipping his hand that he really had no desire to go (not that he cared, mind you), "We still have three months."  
  
"More like two and a half," corrected Mystique.  
  
"That can't be right," Ororo frowned.  
  
"With triplets you won't go to term," Mystique explained.  
  
"So go pack and we leave first thing in the morning." said Magneto.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile the kids had finished their homework and found themselves once again sitting on their asses in the lab, board as all hell.  
  
"Ah'm board as all hell," declared Marie (Hey, didn't I just say that?).  
  
"Oh and we aren't?!" said John sarcastically.  
  
"Yer goin' the riahght way fer abeat down!" growled Marie.  
  
"Why, Rogue," said John with mock surprise, "I had no idea you were interested!" he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Whay you son of-" Marie was cut off by Bobby pulling her back into her chair.  
  
"Don't you guys ever take a break?!" groaned Bobby.  
  
"That's it!" exclaimed Rogue punching Bobby's upper arm.  
  
"OW!" yelled Bobby.  
  
"What are you babbling about now?!" asked John.  
  
"Boys, Ah think it's hiahgh tiahme we took a break from all of this!" said Marie smiling wickedly.  
  
John and Bobby looked at each other, more than just a little concerned for the future of their well being.  
  
"Could we take a vote?" asked Bobby nothing less than whimpering.  
  
"Come on man, you know resistance is futile," groaned John.  
  
"And Ah know just the place to go," said Rogue grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Shit!-Just just shit!" said Bobby putting his head in his hands.  
  
"Let's go get dressed," said Rogue leaping up and all but galloping out of the room.  
  
"Double shit!" exclaimed John.  
  
"What now?!" asked Bobby miserably.  
  
"My good pants are in the wash!"  
  
"Dude, you are such a lame ass!" sighed Bobby.  
  
"Dude, you know you're just jealous!" said Py haughtily.  
  
"Dude, you wish!" said John sarcastically.  
  
"Dude, don't deny it I-am-HOT!" said John producing his little shark lighter and creating a ball of fire in his palm.  
  
"DUDE!"  
  
"DUDE!"  
  
(Here we go again!-author rolls eyes and sighs.)  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile the adults we packed and had prepped the helicopter with in half an hour. There was just one problem:  
  
"Where the hell is the midget convention?" groaned Toad, who was in absolutely no mood to go on a scavenger hunt.  
  
"I think they went ahead by boat," said Mystique.  
  
"Then prepare for take off," ordered Magneto.  
  
The flight took only about an hour before they touched down in the hanger of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. It was totally empty. No doubt Charles wanted them to arrive and settle in without incident. There was a map of how to reach their rooms taped to the wall of the hanger.  
  
"You go ahead," said Magneto as he headed off in another direction.  
  
Mystique sighed, "I'm going to take a bath. God knows Eric's going to want to 'relax' when he gets back to the room. Xavier always puts him in a bad mood." She said with disdain.  
  
-------------  
  
"What time is it, Herr Scott?!" asked Kurt nothing short of whining.  
  
"6:45" sighed Cyke looking at his watch.  
  
"And when can we leave?" asked Logan lighting up.  
  
"8:00," groaned Scott.  
  
Yep, you guessed it. Xavier had confined Scott, Logan, Kurt and Hank to the Danger Room until the Brotherhood had settled in.  
  
Wolverine growled as he breather out a puff of smoke.  
  
"This is ridiculous," Scott crossed his arms, "What are we, rebellious teenagers?!-We are perfectly capable of being civil in the face of the enemy." He said in his most diplomatic voice.  
  
"Speak fer yerself, Scooter," growled Wolverine.  
  
Hank chuckled a little behind a copy of War and Peace.  
  
-------------  
  
Once they had unpacked, Ororo and Victor laid down on the bed and sleepily watched as the sunlight faded from the farthest corners of the ceiling.  
  
She was nervous. He could smell it on her ever since they landed in the hanger. Didn't she ever give it a rest? When was she going to realize as long as he, the Brotherhood and, he shuddered to think it, the X-Men were around she had nothing to worry about.  
  
"So, are you going to tell me? Or do I have to guess?" asked Victor pulling Storm into his arms.  
  
Storm just sighed and looked away.  
  
"Whatever it is, Darlin', start talkin', I can barely keep my eyes open as it is." He nuzzled her hair idly.  
  
"Two and a half months, Victor, two and a half months and we still have everything left to do!" said Strom.  
  
"What's everything?" asked Victor.  
  
"First of all a place to live, then we have to move out there, then we have to make sure no one follows us and."  
  
"Do me a favor," yawned Sabertooth.  
  
"Yes?" asked Storm.  
  
"Don't worry about anything for a while-"  
  
"But-OW!" Storm winced in pain.  
  
"Relax, I've been talking to a few old acquaintances about real estate and one responded. She's willing to talk about selling her private island off the coast of Australia: land, house, servants and all. But nothing's final yet and I didn't want to get your hopes up." Victor said rubbing Ororo's now soar side as he braced fro impact.  
  
Storm smiled.  
  
"So, yer not mad that I didn't tell you about the island?" Vic was still wincing a little.  
  
Storm leaned over and kissed Victor, hard on the mouth, "I love you so much." She then laid her head on his chest and waited for sleep.  
  
"O-kay," needless to say our boy Vic was confused, but he figured it was better not to ask and better still not to have been struck by lightening.  
  
And quite frankly, who could blame him.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile in Xavier's office both Charles and Eric had been discussing the terms of a mutual agreement they would both adhere to as long as they found themselves in the midst of the current situation.  
  
Well knowing Chuck and Mags there were a lot of big words and complex sentences involved, so to conserve space on my hard drive lets just cut to the chase, shall we?  
  
"Very well, Charles, we'll do things your way," conceded Magneto, "as long as we're stuck together we might as well make the best of it and call a truce for the time being."  
  
"I'm glad we could some to mutual terms," said Xavier warmly.  
  
Just then the clock struck 8 pm-  
  
BAMF!-Kurt, Wolverine, Beat and of course Scott all appeared in the Prof.'s office.  
  
"Funny, I had been expecting you at 7:59," Magneto chided.  
  
"Why you-"~SKNIT~  
  
"I will have none of that, Logan," warned the Prof. "my original promise still stands from back in Cerebro."  
  
Logan winced there was no way in HELL anyone was going to braid his hair!  
  
"Never mind our grudges for right now." said Cyke, "Where are the kids?!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Magneto, "There here with you. They left this morning."  
  
"No they're not!" said Scott in retort, "They haven't been here since Storm came a couple months back."  
  
"Vait," Kurt interrupted, "if zer not here and zey vernt vith Magneto since zis morning, zen vere are ze?!"  
  
Where indeed? All of the adults stood looking at each other until-  
  
"Professor, PROFESSOR!" Kitty yelled as she came through the wall and into the office.  
  
"Calm yourself, Kitty. What seems to be the trouble?" asked Xavier.  
  
"Turn on channel 4," said Shadowcat through pants.  
  
The Professor pulled out the top drawer of his desk and removed a remote and turned on the TV in his office, which was cleverly disguised as none other than a Monet.  
  
The screen lit up-  
  
"And were back!" said a young, male reporter holding a microphone into the camera, "Here we are at none other than one of the jewels of Canada, Queen College. Now folks, Queen has played host to some interesting people through the years: Royalty, anarchists, and on occasion some stray McGill students, but this a new one, even for me!"  
  
The camera shot widened.  
  
"Why don't you three introduce yourselves?" asked the announcer.  
  
"Sure, I'm Bobby."  
  
"Ah'm Rogue."  
  
"I'm John."  
  
All three holding big plastic party cups I might add, containing-Oh, come on people, work with me!  
  
"Well, now that we've gotten the pleasantries over and done with, you've told us who you are, but not what you are-" the reporter trailed off.  
  
"Oh, we're mutants, pure and simple," answered Bobby nonchalantly.  
  
"So what are you doing here?" asked the reporter, "Did you come to kill everyone? To conquer the campus?-"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous," Rogue wrinkled her nose in disgust at the very suggestions the reporter had given.  
  
"We just came for the party," assured Pyro.  
  
"And of course to drink responsibly," added Bobby.  
  
All three stopped and looked at each other after Bobby's last comment and bust out laughing.  
  
"What is that, your fourth beer?" asked John asked Bobby.  
  
"I don' know, I lost count after six." said Bobby.  
  
The camera shot shrank back on to the reporter again as the dynamic trio burst out laughing again.  
  
"There you have it folks, 'We just came for the party'. I'm Chip Donaldson, leaving you with these final thoughts: Are mutants really as dangerous as we first thought? Should we really be living in fear of them or should everyone just join the party? Then again-"  
  
Chip was cut short by John yelling somewhere off camera, "That's it I say we all go STREAKING!"  
  
Kkkttzzzz-the TV went black.  
  
"No fuckin' way," said Wolverine as he entered into a staring contest with the blackened screen as if challenging the validity of what it had just shown him.  
  
"How in the HELL did they get all the way to Canada?!" asked Scott in bewilderment.  
  
"I say we go ask them in person," suggested Beast.  
  
"I second ze motion," ventured Kurt.  
  
"Good, go prep the X-Jet and take Toad and Mystique with you. I have a few questions myself," said Charles.  
  
"As do I," said Magneto in a deadly tone. 


	14. THEY’RE WHAT!

Chapter 14: THEY'RE WHAT?!  
  
Well after the X-Men had suited up they boarded the X-Jet with Toad and Mystique. Needless to say tensions were high, but one thing was certain, with the combined forces of Xavier and Magneto those kids were in for the lecture of their lives!  
  
The flight took only about an hour and a half before they touched down in small clearing about a mile from the campus. Now came the hard part: finding their lost little mutants in that sea of people.  
  
They got off the plane and started walking. It wasn't long before they could here the music blasting from just over the next ridge.  
  
Nothing could have prepared them for the sight that greeted them upon reaching the summit: a living multi colored sea of highly inebriated bodies attempting to move to the rhythm of a song whose lyrics were better suited to have been printed on toilet paper.  
  
"This is gonna take forever," groaned Toad.  
  
"Not if ve split up," suggested Kurt.  
  
"Ah, divide and conquer," said Hank in a somewhat reminiscent tone of Caesar's rule over Ancient Rome.  
  
"Here," said Scott handing out a bunch of walkie-talkies.  
  
"Lets try to keep this short," said Mystique as she morphed into an attractive looked co-ed.  
  
"Fer once we agree on somethin'" said Wolverine.  
  
"Don't count on it happening again," said Mystique curtly.  
  
"O-kay," said Scott in an attempt to smooth thing over before they got too far out of hand, "Lets trisect the campus. Kurt and Mystique take the mosh pit down there, Beast and Toad scout around the rest of the campus outside, Wolverine and myself will take the dorms."  
  
"Whoa-how come you two get the dorms?!" asked Toad in an accusing tone.  
  
"Because we'll actually look for the kids rather than pose as a lost pizza man and make a bad attempt a booty call." said Scott accusing tone.  
  
"Touché" said Mystique looking toward Toad.  
  
"For your information I would have broken into a locker room and posed as a hockey player!-Since when have you heard of a pizza man getting any?!" Toad asked and then looked at Wolverine, "I thought you were working with one-eye!"  
  
Logan shrugged, "Slow learner."  
  
"HEY!" yelled Scott in retort.  
  
"Sometime before dawn if you please, people," Hank nudged.  
  
-------------  
  
~The Mosh Pit~  
  
"C'mon," said Mystique with distain as she started toward the 'Sea of Raging Hormones'.  
  
"I don't zink zo," said Kurt hesitantly.  
  
"What- don't trust me?" Mystique smirked.  
  
"Vell, no-but I mean I con't go down zere like zis!" said Kurt putting up two fuzzy, 3-fingered hands.  
  
"Here," said Mystique extending her arm, "as long as you hold onto me you'll appear human."  
  
"I don't like zis," said Kurt as her slowly reached for the shape sifter's arm.  
  
"What other choice do you have?" asked Mystique.  
  
"I don't know." said Kurt heaving a heavy sigh as he took a light grasp of her arm.  
  
"There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" said Mystique with what seemed to be a twinkle in her eye.  
  
Kurt visibly shuddered-  
  
Mystique's last statement seemed nothing short of maternal, which was contrary to the behavior Kurt had seen her use thus far-  
  
It was nothing short of disturbing.  
  
Although against his better judgment, Kurt tightened his grip on Mystique's hand, letting her lead the way down into the masses of drunken co-eds.  
  
(AN: This strange and awkward moment brought to you on the grounds that Mystique is Kurt's mother).  
  
-------------  
  
On the other side of the campus, just outside of the chemistry building, Hank and Toad continued the seemingly never ending search.  
  
Hank was sitting on the cement steps as Toad bounded out from the surrounding shrubbery.  
  
"Find anything intriguing?" asked Hank nonchalantly.  
  
"Ya, everybody's gettin' some, but me!" vented Toad, "There must be five couples 'doing it' behind the science center. And I'm pretty sure one of those couples was a pair of professors-the lab coats were the tip off!"  
  
"I meant, did you find any evidence of John, Bobby or Rogue passing through?" asked Hank somewhat amused at Toad's apparent feelings toward the science community.  
  
"What?!-Oh, no, I didn't find anything," said Toad beginning to calm himself.  
  
"Shall we be moving on then?" inquired Hank.  
  
"I don't see why not," said Toad exhaling the remainder of his frustrations.  
  
"Where to next?" asked Beast standing up.  
  
"Anywhere, but one of the science buildings," said Toad sternly as he started to walk off in a random direction.  
  
-------------  
  
Out of the three teams it is safe to say Scott and Logan were having the worst luck of all:  
  
Wolverine stood in the middle of a girls' dorm hall, the third floor to be exact, leaning up against a wall between the doors numbered 351 and 353, smoking a cigar. He had been confined to the hall by Cyke himself, who claimed, "Logan you're a little too intimidating, why not let me handle this one?"  
  
Scott's voice could be heard from inside room 351, "Miss, I'm just looking for some information!"  
  
"Oh, is that so, Mr. X-Man?" a very inebriated young woman's voice could be heard from inside the room as well, "I'm sure I can be of some 'assistance'."  
  
"Um, yes, well have you seen any of these kids tonight?"  
  
Wolverine could hear Scott pulling out a photo.  
  
SLAM!  
  
Something heavy was rammed into the door.  
  
"Kids, I don't see any kids here-just adults- that's you-and me."  
  
"Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to release my collar," Scott was barely able to get out.  
  
"Or what?" the co-ed giggled.  
  
ZZZZIIIiiiiiiippppppp  
  
"I BEG YOUR PARDON!" exclaimed Scott, "I'll thank you to leave my pants alone!"  
  
"Oh, your welcome," the girl slurred.  
  
"I wasn't thanking you!" insisted Scott.  
  
"Oh, wait let me get Fluffy." The girl's voice could be heard.  
  
"Fluffy?-Who's-" Scott wasn't able to finish his sentence before.  
  
RRRRRRROOOOOOWWWWWRRRRRRR!  
  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" shrieked Scott as he narrowly made it out the door and back into the hall to the safety of the Wolverine (I don't know it I would call that safe, just a thought).  
  
Logan shot Scott a look as if he were going to say something-  
  
"I don't want to talk about it, not now, not ever!" said Scott in a trembling voice.  
  
"Whoa, easy Cyke, I was just going to tell you your barn door's open.  
  
"What?!" Scott looked down, "-Damn it!"  
  
He turned towards the wall-Ziiiiiiip  
  
"I wonder if the dorm parent knows she has a pet, let alone the Board of Health," Cyke mutter to himself as he started down the hall again.  
  
Wolverine chuckled under his breath and asked as he exhaled a puff of smoke, "Want me to take the next one?"  
  
"Would you?" asked Scott in nothing short of a whimper.  
  
Ya, that's pretty much how Scott's night had been since he knocked on the first door, the beginning of Thanksgiving break (all be it short as it is) be damned!  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile, back at the ranch:  
  
Charles and Eric were heavily engaged in a lightening round of chess. They had been playing for two hours and so far it could have been anyone's game. Naturally the best defense in a good offence, to steel an old cliché, or in this case a good distraction-  
  
"So," Magneto began casually, "how long do you think it will take them to find Pyro, Rogue and Iceman?"  
  
"You mean after they finish bickering?" inquired Charles as he captured one of Magneto's pawns with his knight.  
  
"And not a second before," Magneto smirked as he took one of Charles' pawns with his rook.  
  
"I think we will be receiving a call that they've gone out to breakfast sometime before first period that they've gone out for breakfast." said Charles as moved one of his pawns.  
  
-------------  
  
Wolverine and Scott had all but given up as they walked down the back stair and out the door of the 5th dorm they had searched. They had found nothing, everyone was either unconscious, to drunk to focus on the photo or "otherwise engaged".  
  
"What are we going to do, Logan? We've been searching for hours-it's nearly dawn-and no one has found any sign of them!" exclaimed Scott in utter despair.  
  
"Easy, Scooter, we'll find them. I mean how far can they go loaded?"  
  
"Not helping, Logan."  
  
SLAM!  
  
The door fell into place behind them just in time for them to hear-  
  
"C'mon, giahs, we gotta get back before they know we skipped town," Marie half slurred.  
  
Both Scott and Logan looked toward the direction of Marie's voice.  
  
"And how do you propose we do that, Rogue?" asked Bobby, "We didn't bring a car and I know I don't have enough for a cab!"  
  
"Hey, guys," said Pyro, who was sitting on the ground.  
  
"Uhg, what is it now, John?" asked a very disgusted Marie.  
  
"I forgot how to stand up-"  
  
There was a pause-  
  
Then all three burst out laughing.  
  
Scott pulled out his walkie-talkie and flipped to channel 3, "All units converge, all units converge, we found them behind the 4th dorm from the mosh pit."  
  
In the mean time Logan had walked over to the tanked trio.  
  
"LOGAN!" squealed Marie as she jumped on him nearly taking the both of them out.  
  
"Who there, kid, I think you need a tick-tack or sumthin'-damn!" said Wolverine as she attempted to stabilize her.  
  
Polp!  
  
Bobby had wondered off the stone patio behind the dorm where the others stood as his knees went weak and he fell into the snow.  
  
"Bobby, are you alright?" asked Scott as he put the walkie-talkie back onto his utility belt.  
  
Pyro looked up at the sound of Scott's voice, "Shit, the party's over guys, the fun police just arrived."  
  
"I resent that!" yelled Scott more than a little offended.  
  
"He's got a point," said Toad as he bounded out from behind a bush with Beast at his heels.  
  
"I agree," said Mystique as she and Kurt walked onto the porch from the woods.  
  
"Hey, Nightcrawler, dude, thanks for helping us put that car in one-eye's room," said Pyro.  
  
"You did that?!" Scott glared at Kurt.  
  
"I svear I can explain, Herr Scott-" Nightcrawler began.  
  
"Hey, where are Storm and Sabertooth?" Bobby cut in.  
  
"Back at the Institute and no one is going to say anything to them about this little 'excursion'," said Mystique in a deadly tone.  
  
Marie looked up at Logan, "Are we in huge trouble?"  
  
"No kid, you're in fuckin' huge trouble." said Wolverine.  
  
-------------  
  
BAMF!  
  
They figured the fasted way to get back to the X-Jet was for Kurt to port them there.  
  
"Logan, would ya let go a meh already?! It's not liahke Ah'm gonna run off!" insisted Marie.  
  
"You can barely stand. Yer drunk off yer ass!" Logan pointed out.  
  
"WELL AH NEVAH!" gasped Marie, "Ah am certainly not drunk!"  
  
She nearly toppled over!  
  
"Oh, yer drunk alright!" declared Logan as he scooped her up and began to walk towards the jet.  
  
"Oh riaght," began Marie sarcastically, "Ah'm drunk and Storm and Sabertooth aren't married!"  
  
Now Rogue had everyone's undivided attention-  
  
"Holy shit-they're married-and you didn't tell ME?!" exclaimed Py.  
  
"Well of course Ah didn't tell you, dumb ass, or all the adults would have known!" shouted Rogue.  
  
"Uh, Rogue, you just pretty much told 'all the adults'," Bobby pointed out.  
  
"Shit, Ah did?" Marie started to laugh uncontrollably.  
  
"HA!" yelled Py, "Now who's the 'dumb ass'?"  
  
All three of the teens were laughing again-  
  
The adults, on the other hand were exchanging shocked glances. 


	15. The Punishment

Chapter 15: The Punishment  
  
(Both literally and figuratively, just to clarify.)  
  
Xavier Institute 9:10 am (1/2 an hour into 1st period)  
  
RING-RING!-The phone in Xavier's office sounded.  
  
Eric and Charles looked up from their chess game (yes, it's still in progress!).  
  
Xavier used his telekinesis to turn on the speaker phone, "Hello, Scott, what is it?"  
  
"The sun rose before we had a chance to take off, we're stuck here until nightfall," explained Scott.  
  
"I understand, Scott-" said the Prof.  
  
"It took you until dawn to find them?" inquired asked Eric.  
  
"Do you have any idea how big this campus is?!" asked Scott.  
  
"And what of the three miscreants?" asked Magneto.  
  
"Sleeping off one awful hangover," said Cyke.  
  
"Well we won't keep you, Scott-" said Xavier.  
  
-------------  
  
Scott hung up the pay phone in little diner about a mile up the road from Queen's campus.  
  
The adults reasoned it was better for the kids to sleep off the beer before they questioned them. Sober, it was easier to intimidate them. So, in the meantime the adults decided to treat themselves to breakfast.  
  
Hank and Kurt were sporting new watches, prototype image inducers which could only project an image for just shy of two hours.  
  
Anyway now that we've gotten setting the scene out of the way, let's focus on the dinner conversation, shall we?  
  
The fact is the first half of the meal had been eaten in complete silence until-  
  
"Do you think vat Rogue said vas true?" Kurt finally asked.  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"Even if it isn't true, it's inevitable," Mystique pointed out.  
  
"True, but it doesn't make sense." said Scott sliding in the booth after returning from the pay phone, "I mean why would they get married so quietly unless-" he froze mid-sentence at his realization.  
  
"They're not planning to stay," Hank finished for Scott.  
  
-------------  
  
Approx. 2 hours and 20 minutes after sundown the X-Jet touched down in hanger under the basketball court.  
  
Logan cut the engines, "End of the line."  
  
"Ugh!" John who had been lying with his head in Mystique's lap tightened his grip on her waist as his stomach wrenched.  
  
"OH-MAH-GAWD!" all the color left Rogue's face.  
  
"I've got zis one," said Kurt as he put one Rogue's arms around his neck-  
  
BAMF!-They ported out of the jet.  
  
Bobby tried to stand up and found himself on the floor of the jet's cabin a split second later.  
  
"Just out of curiosity is the room spinning?" asked Iceman.  
  
"No," said Toad flatly.  
  
"Just checking," said Bobby struggling to get to his feet.  
  
-------------  
  
After much poking, prodding, jabbing and dragging the adults somehow managed to guide the still unstable teens to the kitchen, Xavier and Eric were waiting.  
  
The trio was forced to sit down at the kitchen table without being given any aspirin prior.  
  
"Great, just what I need, a lecture from the geezer squad, when I have a pounding headache." John thought.  
  
"I heard that," Xavier said telepathically, smiling at the same time.  
  
Pyro groaned and put his head down on the kitchen table. Up until now he had never realized the benefits of living with the Brotherhood and without telepaths.  
  
"Do you three have any idea how much danger you were in?" asked Magneto in a dangerous tone, "What were you thinking?!"  
  
"That hangovers weren't as bad as everyone made them out to be," ventured John.  
  
"So, what's the conclusion to you thesis?" asked Hank.  
  
"We were way off," groaned Bobby.  
  
"Don't make me asked again," warned Magneto as all the metal in the kitchen began to vibrate.  
  
"You whana know what we were thinkin' fiahne Ah'll tell you-we were thinkin' we deserved a break after puttin' up first of all with all this 'team politics' CRAP! An' then there's the small issue of the massive amounts of homework One-Eye, over there, gave us!" Rogue nearly exploded.  
  
"How much homework did you give them?" Xavier asked Scott.  
  
"A normal amount," said Scott defensively, "plus the lesson itself of course."  
  
"Which amounted to three hours per subject!" said Bobby.  
  
"Not good!" declared Py.  
  
"The hours-PER SUBJECT!" Mystique glared at Scott.  
  
"No wonder you guys were always passed out whenever I walked into the lab," said Toad.  
  
"'Passed out'!" Mystique growled at Scott.  
  
"It would seem as though this little excursion was caused by academic and emotional overload," Hank reasoned.  
  
"So does that mean we're off the hook?" asked Bobby.  
  
"NO!" all the adults responded together.  
  
"Damn!" John grumbled.  
  
"It was a niahce try Bobby," Rogue put a gloved hand on his shoulder, while at the same time she pressed one hand against her forehead to keep the pounding at bay.  
  
"Just one more question before you three go to bed," said Scott.  
  
"This should be good," grumbled Py.  
  
Scott chose to ignore that last remark and proceeded with the question, "How did you get to the campus?! It's nearly 70 miles from where you would have docked the boat."  
  
The three teens looked at each other.  
  
"Well," Bobby began, "after we docked the boat we were hungry so we crossed the street to a gas station for sandwiches. That's were we crashed into Rob, Rogue's friend."  
  
SKNIT!-"Who the HELL is Rob?" asked Logan.  
  
"He was the truck driver who brought meh to Alberta, where we met in the bar." Rogue explained.  
  
"Long story short, he was going to visit his niece up at Queen and gave us a lift," said John.  
  
"Great-just great-you hitched a ride with a total stranger!" Scott started to go off.  
  
"What?! Ah knew him from before!" Marie argued.  
  
"Hitchhiking does not qualify as having a pre-existing relationship with the truck driver that picked you up!" said Scott.  
  
"Well, gee, Scott, when ya say it liahke that it sounds so-DIRTY!" said Rogue in an accusing tone.  
  
"That's not what I meant and you know it!" countered Cyke.  
  
"Whoa, easy there, Scooter," Logan put his hand on Scott's right shoulder.  
  
"Dude, what's with Cyclops?" asked Pyro.  
  
"He had a rough night in the dorms thanks to you three," growled Logan.  
  
"Enough!" said Mystique, "You three bed, NOW!"  
  
The three teens got up and started to head out of the kitchen-  
  
"What's this?!" asked Scott, "You listen to HER and not me?!"  
  
"Well ya," said Rogue as if it were a 'no brainer', "If we don't listen to you we just get more homework, but if we don't listen to her," Marie swallowed hard and trailed off.  
  
"There's a good possibility she'll kill us in ways that would even give Steven King nightmares," Bobby finished for Rogue.  
  
Mystique shrugged. "There right," she smirked.  
  
"Touché," said Magneto looking over at Scott.  
  
"Oh, and when you wake up bring your toothbrushes down to the hanger. You'll be cleaning the X-Jet with them," said Logan with a smug grin.  
  
"Nice," commented Toad.  
  
"Could you just scour me now?" John asked Wolverine, "You know for old time sake?"  
  
"And miss out on all the fun I could have by keeping you alive, I don't think so," Logan laughed.  
  
With that having been said the teens plodded off to bed and in no particular hurry to wake up.  
  
-------------  
  
About two months later under the cover of afternoon the dynamic trio, who were still on probation, mind you, were supposed to be waxing Scott's car in the driveway. But of course one thing led to another and before they knew it the boys had placed Marie in the front seat and pushed out the gates to a secluded, wooded area not about to miles from the Institute. They started the car cranked up the stereo, after disposing of Scott's CD in the glove compartment, and headed North, back to Canada. Only this time they're destination was McGill with a full sized Canadian flag, an unopened package of seranwrap, 3 pairs of ice skates and Bobby's Father's Platinum Visa in the backseat, but don't worry we'll get to those items later.  
  
Insanity is sure to ensue!  
  
Happy New Year and to all a Good Night!  
  
I'm Clinically Insane, see ya soon! 


	16. McGill

Chapter 16: McGill  
  
I know. I know. It's been forever and a day, but I shall remain true to my word. This story shall be finished-someday-with any luck someday soon.  
  
And because I did a spotlight on Queen, it's only fair that I do a spotlight on McGill too. Now without further ado:  
  
It only took the teens about 2½ hours to reach Montreal, record time for any automobile. Bobby and Rogue should have been able to determine from John's personality alone that he drove like a maniac.  
  
Half of the time the car was in the center of the double yellow line on the highway. The other half of the time was divided between cutting semis off and weaving in and out of traffic. Then there was also the occasional yelling obscenities and giving the finger to those who wouldn't move out of the way.  
  
Surprisingly, Py's driving only got worse when they reached the city. Now instead of being in the middle of the road he was driving with right side of the axel up on the sidewalk-  
  
-running pedestrians over!  
  
By the time John found parking Bobby and Rogue were clinging to each other for dear life in the backseat.  
  
SCREEEEEEEEEECH!  
  
All the recesses of the car screamed as John skidded into a parking space.  
  
"There, now that wasn't so bad," said Py as he cut the engine, ".uh guys?"  
  
"Oh mah freekin' Gawd!" said Rogue in a hushed and trembling voice.  
  
"What?! My driving isn't that bad!" said John defensively.  
  
"You-my friend-are a bat out of HELL!" declared Bobby as he struggled to pry Rogue's arms off of his neck.  
  
"Ah need a drink," Marie was barely able to get out.  
  
"That's a great idea." said John opening the car door, "I could go for an early dinner. For some reason I always seem to have dry mouth after driving."  
  
"Well considering all the yelling you did on the interstate, over the radio blasting, I can't say I'm surprised!" said Bobby sarcastically.  
  
"Ya, I know." said John, "There are a lot of psychotic drivers out on the road."  
  
"You don't know the half of it," Bobby rolled his eyes as he nothing short of yanked Rogue out of the car and on to the sidewalk.  
  
John had parallel across the street from the campus and lucky for the teens there was an Italian restaurant literally next to the car.  
  
Needless to say they walked in, got a table in the corner and looked at the wine list.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile back at the ranch, wait.make that the garage of the Institute (lets just face it Scott in chaps.your retinas would burn from the inside out.)  
  
Cyclops, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Toad had just finished a training session in the danger room and headed into the garage. More specifically, they were headed to the locked cabinet in the workbench. The students only knew it as the cabinet that held the power tools which they needed adult supervision for. Although in fact, Scott and Wolverine had converted the cabinet into a small but effective refrigerator for beer!  
  
CRACK!  
  
Ca-CHHH!  
  
POP!  
  
The men cracked open a few cold ones and proceeded to "shoot the breeze" until Scott noticed something.  
  
"Hey, where's my car?!"  
  
"Which one?" asked Wolverine.  
  
"The one that wound up in my room," said Scott as he looked toward Kurt narrowing his eyes.  
  
"I've told you Herr Scott, Rogue is can be very persuasive!" Kurt all but whimpered.  
  
"Don't get your panties in a wad, One-Eye, the car's probably outside." said Toad as he emptied his second can of beer.  
  
But of course as we all know when the men went to find the car outside-they found NO CAR!  
  
"Maybe they vent to gas it up," offered Kurt.  
  
"Since when does it take 4 hours to gas up a car?" asked Toad looking at his watch.  
  
"Great, just great," said Wolverine, "they've gone AWOL (absent without leave)!"  
  
"Vell let's prep the jet and get Mystique." Kurt sighed.  
  
"Ok, but lets forget the Mystique part," suggested Toad.  
  
"Vhy?" asked Kurt.  
  
"Because the last time I checked they were in the middle of a 'philosophical discussion'." Toad explained with the aid of air quotes.  
  
"Oh.never mind zen," said Kurt retracting his latest statement.  
  
"C'mon we've got to find them before they wind up on the 6 o'clock," said Scott heading for the hanger.  
  
"Not so fast, Scooter," said Logan taking hold of Scott's arm.  
  
"Why?" Scott asked a little confused.  
  
Sniff-Sniff  
  
"Storm's commin'" said Logan.  
  
-------------  
  
Back in Canada the teens had finished dinner and hit the underground city for some shopping. After about two hours of window shopping and a quick stop at Starbucks the trio found their way to a sports equipment shop. There they purchased three pairs of ice skates: hockey skates for the boys and figure skates for Rogue.  
  
Once they Bobby had run his father's credit card through the machine and forged a signature, they headed over to McGill to give the temporary ice rink a try. (Every year McGill college sets up a temporary ice rink and open bar with a heated tent courtesy of the Molson family. Although the bar and ice rink are never set up at the same time, because that would just be bad on many levels.)  
  
"C'mon, John, stop bein' a baby!" Marie taunted.  
  
It's no big surprise that Py was more than a little nervous about being so close to ice.  
  
"You know guys maybe we should be heading back," Py began as a distraction but then noticed, ".the moon's covered by clouds-And I'm not a BABY!"  
  
-------------  
  
Speaking of babies.  
  
"hhhmmmmmm?" Storm was in no mood to be roused.  
  
Victor shook Storm gently again, "Ro, wake up."  
  
"Hm?...Victor?..." asked Storm looking over at the alarm clock, "It's two in the morning."  
  
"Let's go fer a walk."  
  
"What?!" Storm looked at Victor like he had lost what was left of his mind.  
  
"C'mon get up," said Vic pulling Storm to her feet.  
  
"Where are we going?" asked Ro as Victor led her down the main corridor and into the elevator.  
  
Sabertooth didn't answer. He just hit one of the buttons on the key pad.  
  
"Is where we're going far?" asked Ro beginning to grow impatient.  
  
"No," responded Victor as the elevator doors opened into one of the sublevels of the mansion, "C'mon."  
  
He took her by the hand and led her to the medical lab.  
  
Hank looked up from his copy of "War and Peace", "Is something the matter?"  
  
"No," said Storm.  
  
"Yes," corrected Victor.  
  
"What?!" Ro shot Vic a weird look.  
  
"Well what's the problem?" asked Hank.  
  
"Yes-Victor-what is the problem?" asked Storm narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms.  
  
"What's the problem?!-I'll tell you what the problem is. She's in labor."  
  
"Ugh, Victor, it's too early for this." Storm rolled her eyes. "I'm fine Hank."  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" asked Hank.  
  
"I'm all right, Hank. Victor just has an overactive imagination."  
  
"No, I don't!" argued Victor.  
  
"You woke me up for this?! Don't you think I would be telling you if I were in labor?" asked Storm in a dangerous tone.  
  
"No," said Victor casually.  
  
"Oh, really and what makes you say that?" asked Storm.  
  
"My sense of smell."  
  
"Let me get this straight," said Storm, "you are trying to tell me that with your sense of smell you know-for a fact-that..."  
  
"Yes," said Victor.  
  
"Uh, I'm going back to bed." with that Ororo turned around and headed for the elevator.  
  
She froze, leaning on the threshold of the lab.  
  
"Water just break?" asked Victor smirking.  
  
"Just shut up and help me to the bed," grumbled Storm.  
  
"That's amazing," remarked Hank putting his book down.  
  
-------------  
  
AN: Hi, I just wanted to pose a quick question and get some feed back on your opinions. I was kicking around the idea of doing this story again, only in the comic verse. What so you think?-I mean it would be a different setting and circumstances, but the overall plot would be the same. And I would only start it after I finish this one. 


	17. Parapets and Pain Killers

Chapter 17: Parapets and Pain Killers  
  
The reason the kids bought the skates was because they realized the pairs they had in the trunk were dull. Oh sure, they could have just gotten their skates sharpened, although how many times have you had somebody else's credit card a credit card at your disposal? But that's not all they did-Remember the seranwrap and the Canadian flag in the trunk?  
  
Rogue turned them into a skating uniform by wrapping the flag around her as dress and using the seranwrap to hold the flag in place.  
  
Rogue and Bobby had just been able to coax John out on to the ice-Ok, maybe "coaxed" is too lax a word, I think "dragged kicking and screaming" would cover the situation better when-  
  
KRAK-BOOM  
  
The entire sky lit up with lightening as bright as day over the ice rink at McGill.  
  
"What the hell?" John looked up at the sky, "That didn't sound good."  
  
Sleet the size of golf balls began to pelt everyone on the ice.  
  
"Sleet-and-lightening at the same time?" Bobby looked around in confusion.  
  
"You'd think some prophet would have taken the time out to warn us about this kind of weather in the Bible," John commented.  
  
ZZZZZZzzzzzzt!  
  
A bolt of lightening cut a 50 foot tree straight down the center. Bobby was able to stop the tree from causing anyone some unneeded damage, while John put out the flames along the trunk.  
  
The three looked at each other.  
  
"You don't think Ro-" Bobby trailed off.  
  
"No, Ah know!" said Rogue.  
  
"We've gotta get back to the Institute," said Bobby.  
  
"Ya, well we better hurry before it gets any worse." said Py, "Rogue you have to drive. Bobby and I will keep the road clear."  
  
John handed the keys to Rogue.  
  
"Ah don't know about this," said Rogue nervously.  
  
"All you have to do is drive," assured John.  
  
Rogue took a deep breath and accepted the keys for Pyro.  
  
They headed for the car.  
  
-------------  
  
"How's that pain killer coming, Hank?" asked Victor.  
  
"Oh-My-" Storm began.  
  
KRAK-BOOM!  
  
The entire foundation shook.  
  
"O-K, stay calm-yer fine-just keep breathin'." Victor was trying to keep Storm relaxed.  
  
"Stay calm?! You-are-kidding me, right?" asked Storm sarcastically.  
  
"Uh-Hank? What am I s'possed to be doin' here?" Vic looked through the doorway into the lab.  
  
"Just what you're doing," said Hank as he filled a syringe.  
  
"Just out of curiosity, where's that going?" asked Vic.  
  
"In her lower back," explained Beast, "Ready?"  
  
Hank looked over at Storm.  
  
"Just do it before the next one hits." she said.  
  
"Victor, you're going to have to act as a brace for her," said Hank.  
  
"NNNgh!" Storm winced as the needle pierced her skin.  
  
"I called some friends, one's an EMT and the others an OBGYN. They should be here shortly." said Hank as he disposed of the syringe.  
  
"So what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" asked Ororo.  
  
Hank tossed a pack of cards to Sabertooth, "Might I suggest gin rummy, while I get everything set up?"  
  
-------------  
  
The teens were able to make it back in record time. No one was on the roads-go figure. By the time they arrived at the Institute they found an unfamiliar van parked outside and the very familiar shadows of Cyclops, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Toad in one of the parlors. One might go as far as to say too familiar.  
  
Rogue killed the engine (not literally!).  
  
"Wow, so this is how it's going to end," said John, "and here I was at least hoping to go down in a blaze of glory."  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" said Bobby sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.  
  
John ignored Bobby's comment and continued in a somewhat longing and definitely sarcastic tone, "If only I had been able to help Rogue experience the true pleasures of what it means to be a woman *mocking sigh*."  
  
"Well Ah NEVAH!-Your ASS is GRASS!"  
  
"Rogue, don't do anything drastic!" pleaded Bobby, "You'll only set Wolverine off more if you finish Py off before he gets a chance!"  
  
"Ah don't care!" declared Rogue as she lunged for John's jugular.  
  
-------------  
  
BAM!  
  
The front door to the Institute flew open.  
  
In a split second John was on his back on the floor of the foyer and Rogue was on top of him, attempting to choke the life out of him, while Bobby had a taken firm hold Marie's foot in a poor to try and pull her off of Py before she did any real damage.  
  
SKNIT!  
  
All three teens looked up.  
  
"Where in HELL were the three of you?!" asked Scott as he crossed his arms.  
  
"Would you believe walking the parapets?" asked Rogue.  
  
"You don't even know what a parapet is!" said Toad.  
  
"Ah don't see what that has to do with anything!" said Rogue defiantly.  
  
-------------  
  
"OW!" yelped Storm.  
  
KRACK-BOOM!  
  
"What is it?" asked Victor quickly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this nervous.  
  
"I think the pain killer's starting to wear off," said Storm.  
  
"Hank, you might wanna step in here fer a minute." Victor called.  
  
"What seems to be the problem?" asked Hank walking in with a clipboard. He had been sitting at a table with the EMT and OBGYN discussing a recent medical thesis that had just been published in the "Times".  
  
"We're gonna need more drugs," said Victor.  
  
"Fast!" growled Ororo.  
  
Hank walked over to get a better look at one of the print outs, "Don't worry, if these readings stay as high as they are it won't be much longer."  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile up in the commons room the men were about to sentence the teens when the EMT came bursting out of the elevator-  
  
"Which one of you is Mystique?" he asked.  
  
"No one, she's in another part of the mansion," said Scott.  
  
"Well, where is she?" pressed the EMT, "I've been asked to bring her to the medical lab."  
  
"Uh, why don't you head back down to lab and we'll send her after you," said Toad.  
  
"Ja, it's for your own good," assured Kurt.  
  
The EMT looked like he was about to say something, but then caught sight of Wolverine's claws and beat a hasty retreat.  
  
It was then Rogue felt that all eyes were upon her-  
  
"Oh, no-Ah'm not goin' up there!"  
  
"Oh, yes you are!" said Scott.  
  
Rogue gave a frustrated sigh, "Whay meh?!"  
  
"Because Mags actually doesn't mind you that much," explained Toad, "whereas if I went up there and walked in on something the next thing I would most likely notice was a metal doorknob lodged between my heart and my collar bone!"  
  
"Just out of curiosity will this count as my punishment for the whole Montreal thing?" asked Rogue.  
  
"Oh no," assured Wolverine, "this is just the tip of the iceberg."  
  
"Shit," Rogue swore under her breath as she headed up the stairs.  
  
As the four men turned their attentions back to the boys-  
  
KRACK-BOOM!  
  
The lights flickered.  
  
CRACK!  
  
BANG!  
  
It sounded as though something heavy had fallen on the other side of Institute.  
  
"That sounded like it came from the hanger," said Scott with a great deal of worry in his voice.  
  
"Lets check it out," said Kurt.  
  
BAMF!  
  
The boys were left on the couch in the commons room.  
  
-------------  
  
BAMF!  
  
The men appeared in the hanger.  
  
"It doesn't look like any damage was caused," said Toad.  
  
Logan looked up, "Flamin' Hell!"  
  
Sure enough the doors over the basketball court had completely derailed. The slightest wrong move could have send them crashing down-  
  
"AH-CHOO!" Kurt sneezed and-  
  
CRASH!  
  
"Nice," commented Wolverine sarcastically.  
  
The doors had fallen in front of the only exit out of the hanger and Kurt who had been blown back into a wall was now unconscious.  
  
-------------  
  
Rogue made her way slowly down corridor after corridor until she reached the wing where Magneto and Mystique's room was.  
  
She reached the door and froze.  
  
She took a deep breath and was about to knock when-  
  
The brass knob began to turn on its own.  
  
The door glided open, revealing Magneto and Mystique sitting against the headboard.  
  
"And just where have you been?" asked Magneto with mocking smile.  
  
"Would you believe walking the parapets?" asked Rogue.  
  
"You don't even know what a parapet is!" said Mystique.  
  
"Ah don't see what that has to do with anything!" said Rogue defiantly.  
  
Rogue hadn't noticed the top of her trench coat had begun to loosen.  
  
Magneto squinted in the dim light cast by the lamps on the night stands, "Are you wearing seranwrap?!"  
  
Rogue looked down and quickly covered the visible plastic sheet with her hand, "Uh-it's a long story."  
  
"Which I'm sure we're going to hear-in great detail-later," said Mystique in a dangerous tone as she headed out the door and down the hall.  
  
"-Um-Ok," said Rogue rather sheepishly as she visibly swallowed hard.  
  
Rogue followed Mystique back down to the first floor-at a safe distance of course. 


	18. Extreme Water Sports and Rancid Gym Sock...

Chapter 18: Extreme Water Sports and Rancid Gym Socks  
  
As soon as Mystique and Rogue left to head downstairs, Professor Xavier rolled into the room. Eric smirked and put his rather weighty book down on the nightstand.  
  
"I'll keep the students asleep and you set up the chess board," said Charles.  
  
"If I'd known you would want a rematch so quickly I would have set up the board earlier, Old Friend," Magneto chuckled.  
  
-------------  
  
Meanwhile Bobby and John were left sitting in the commons room, when all of a sudden-  
  
KRAK-BOOM!  
  
king-king-king-king-king-BOOM  
  
The mansion went into lock down, all the doors and windows sealed themselves shut with metal plates.  
  
POW!  
  
CRACK!  
  
SHHHHHHHHHHHH!  
  
"What the fuck was that?!" Bobby looked over at John.  
  
"I don't know-lets' go check it out!"  
  
The boys raced towards the source of the noise an were quite perturbed to find that it was coming from the kitchen-  
  
more specifically under the kitchen sink. For you see that last clap of thunder had loosened a bolt from underneath the sink and the pipe burst open sending water in all directions.  
  
Bobby threw open cabinet under the sink increasing the flow of water.  
  
"Can't you just freeze it?" asked John.  
  
"Not without bursting all the pipes in the building!" said Bobby frantically, "Can't you just solder it back together?".  
  
"No, I'd only melt it," John explained.  
  
"What was that Ah heard somethin' burst!" Rogue ran into the kitchen.  
  
"Ya, it was the pipe under the sink," said Bobby as the water rushed over his sneakers.  
  
"Well, can't you gahs-" Rogue began.  
  
"No," said John flatly, "we've already been through that."  
  
"We're trying to figure out what to do," said Bobby.  
  
Rogue looked at the boys incredulously, "Don't just stand there, fiahnd somethin' ta plug it up, you mental midgets!"  
  
"Hey!" objected John.  
  
"Fight with her later," said Bobby we have to hurry.  
  
The teens ran in three different directions to search for something to stop the leak.  
  
-------------  
  
Down in the lab-  
  
"OH MY-AH!" Ro was barely able to say.  
  
KRAK-BOOM!  
  
The OBGYN was looking at one of the machine print outs.  
  
"Not much longer," Mystique tried to reassure Storm holding a wet cloth over her forehead.  
  
"NNNHHHHHH!"  
  
CRAK!  
  
"What was that?" asked Hank when he didn't hear the 'Boom'.  
  
"My hand," said Victor.  
  
"Here we go," said the OBGYN.  
  
"Don't you think we should get a cast on that hand?" asked Hank.  
  
"It'll be fine in about five minutes," said Sabertooth.  
  
-------------  
  
When Bobby, John and Rogue reconvened in the kitchen all they had found was a bag of rubber bands, a pack of marshmallows, a pack of gum, an oar from a crew boat, a box-o-wine and a self-inflating emergency rubber raft.  
  
"Great," said Py sarcastically, "this has the makings a camping trip gone to hell in a hand basket!"  
  
"We don't even have a hand basket, dumb ass!" said Rogue.  
  
"I know I'm having flashbacks to my scout days," said Bobby.  
  
"You were a boy scout?" snickered John.  
  
"It was a long time ago!-I was five and stupid!" argued Bobby.  
  
"Can we focus for two seconds?!" interjected Marie.  
  
KRAK-BOOM!  
  
BANG!  
  
The kitchen sealed itself shut with a five inch wide metal door.  
  
"Shit," was all Rogue could say.  
  
-------------  
  
In the hanger Wolverine and Toad were trying to revive Nightcrawler while Scott attempted a manual override of one of the secret passageways.  
  
"INVALID ACCESS CODE" said the automated female voice of the security system.  
  
"Damn it!" swore Cyke as the system rejected the last access code he could think of, "this is hopeless!-Is Kurt awake, yet?"  
  
"No," said Toad, "and at this rate he won't wake up anytime soon without smelling salts."  
  
Cyke paused for a minute as if deep in thought, stroking his chin with thumb and index finger. Then he tore his shoe from his foot and yanked his sock off.  
  
"Have you completely lost what was left of your mind?!" Logan asked the supposed fearless leader of the X-Men.  
  
"We don't have smelling salts," Scott explained, "what about a smelly gym sock?"  
  
Toad and Wolverine looked at each other.  
  
"Why the hell not?" conceded Toad, "I know I'm out of ideas."  
  
"Sure," said Wolverine, "but just keep it away from me!"  
  
Scott slowly made his way over to Nighcrawler's motionless body.  
  
-------------  
  
Up in the kitchen the water level had reached knee level. That last clap of thunder had completely ripped the pipe in two spewing water in all directions.  
  
"Ah think we'd best inflate the boat." Rogue said.  
  
"I second the motion," said Py voice cracking a little, all this water had him more than a tiny bit on edge.  
  
"Motion passed," said Bobby pulling the rip cord.  
  
SNAP!  
  
"What was that?!" asked Py attempting to use every fiber if his being to remain calm.  
  
"Uh-the rip cord just snapped in half-" said Bobby looking at the fragment of string he now held in his hand.  
  
"An' that means?" inquired Rogue.  
  
"We have to inflate it manually," explained Bobby.  
  
"Chiahst on a bike," sighed Rogue.  
  
-------------  
  
"I think he's dead," stated Scott as he covered Kurt's face with the rancid gym sock.  
  
"Or he was alive until you put that sock on his face," ventured Toad.  
  
"Damn, when was the last time you changed your socks?!" asked Wolverine backing away.  
  
"Give or take three days ago," responded Scott.  
  
Both Toad and Wolverine looked at Cyke incredulously.  
  
Scott looked up at them, "What?!-Laundry day is tomorrow!"  
  
-------------  
  
By the time Bobby, Py and Rogue had inflated the boat the water level had risen to about waist height. They all hopped in and John grabbed the box-o- wine as it floated past.  
  
"Now what?" asked Py.  
  
"Well-" Bobby trailed off as he grabbed the crew paddle.  
  
"Ah know!" declared Rogue as she grabbed a small radio from the counter. She flipped it on and tuned into an Italian opera station. "You boys up for a gondola ride?"  
  
"Crank up the radio!" was Py's response, "Bobby, you're driving."  
  
"Here," Rogue handed Iceman the crew oar.  
  
Bobby sighed and accepted the oar from Rogue, "Fine, but I can't take you beyond the counter."  
  
"Why not?" asked Py.  
  
Bobby smirked, "International waters."  
  
-------------  
  
Back to the lab-  
  
WHAAAAAAAAAAA!  
  
It was all over-but the shots that is.  
  
Storm was taking a nap with Victor hovering over her. It was at this time Hank reached into the draw of his desk and brought out a 60-caliber tranquilizer pistol (Ok, for those of you less familiar with gun sizes this one would be big enough to shoot bison close up. I'm not too sure if pistols even exist this large). He knew Victor was bound to be more than a little over protective of his new family. This was the only way Hank would be able to get a close look at both Storm and the babies.  
  
BANG!  
  
Hank nailed Sabertooth right in the jugular.  
  
Victor fell to the ground with a thud.  
  
"Nice shootin', Tex," said Mystique sarcastically as she held one of the babies.  
  
"We have to move fast that tranquilizer only bought us half an hour, if we're lucky." Hank warned his counter parts.  
  
-------------  
  
sniff-sniff-"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kurt shrieked as he peeled Cyk's gym sock off of his face.  
  
"He's ALIVE!" declared Toad.  
  
"Ah-barely," stated Kurt, "Wat happened?"  
  
"You got wanged by some falling debris," explained Toad.  
  
"Is 'wanged' a word?" asked Scott.  
  
"Who cares?" asked Wolverine turning his attention to Kurt, "Feel well enough to transport us out of here, Elf?"  
  
"I guess so," said Kurt rubbing his head.  
  
"Good, because we left the three stooges without supervision, they're probably halfway to Havana by now," commented Toad.  
  
"God only knows their up shit creek without a paddle." Wolverine added as Kurt ported them back to the commons room.  
  
Oh, if only Logan knew how close he was.  
  
-------------  
  
When the men reached the commons room they noticed straight away the trio of teens was missing.  
  
"Where have those little Cretins gotten off to now?!" said a rather exasperated Toad.  
  
"I don't know," said Scott, "but if they're smart they'll stay there."  
  
"Hey, do you guys hear water?" asked Wolverine.  
  
They paused for a moment.  
  
"Ja, it sounds like it's coming from ze kitchen." Kurt said.  
  
"That's strange, I don't remember leaving the water running," said Scott as he made his way to the kitchen.  
  
"Mien Gott ze kitchen is sealed!" exclaimed Kurt.  
  
"I'll handle this," said Scott while nothing short of striking a pose.  
  
"Like you handled that systems override back in the hanger?" asked Logan sarcastically.  
  
"Oh ye of little faith," said Scott in a highfalutin tone.  
  
"No, oh me remembering past experiences!" corrected Logan.  
  
Cyke pushed a four digit combination into a key pad left of the kitchen door then removed a plastic key card through a slot just over the key pad.  
  
The door slid open and the four men were blown back a title wave of water accompanied by the three teens in the inflatable boat singing along with the radio and badly out of key. The boat came to an abrupt stop against the wall opposite the kitchen doorway.  
  
"HOLY SHIP!" yelled Rogue.  
  
"What's the big idea?!" asked Bobby.  
  
"Ya, we were right in the middle of the bridge (the high point of a song)!" said Py.  
  
"It looks more like you were in the middle of the Atlantic," said Wolverine as he pulled Rogue out of the boat.  
  
"Ugh, don't tell me they're pissed again!" groaned Toad.  
  
"Are you vearing seranwrap?!" Kurt asked Rogue.  
  
"Ah sweah Ah can explain this," said Rogue.  
  
"Good, you can do so in the lab. I think everyone could use a good story after tonight." Said Magneto as he and the Prof. came down the hall.  
  
With that they all headed down to the lab.  
  
-------------  
  
Sabertooth was just coming around as he heard the fax machine on Hank's desk go off, "Uh, my head, what happened?" Vic looked down to find his hand bandaged "Oh-Hank-Can I have a word?!" he growled.  
  
"mmmmmhhhhhhh?-Vic, go back to sleep," Storm murmured and rolled over. Then it hit her she was laying on her stomach. She sat up quickly and looked over at Victor, "Where are they?!-We've only been parents for a few hours and we already suck!" she declared in panic.  
  
"Oh, calm down, Hank and the others just wanted to make sure they were all healthy," said Rogue as walked into the room with one of the babies in her arms.  
  
All three triplets were identical with their mother's white hair and blue eyes, along with their father's light skin and tail, but that wasn't all they had gotten from their father.  
  
"Why are his hands covered with mittens? Is something wrong?!" asked Storm already going into overprotective parent mode as Rogue handed her the baby.  
  
"Hank was afraid they would cut themselves," said Rogue.  
  
"Why?" asked Victor.  
  
Rogue smirked a little and responded, "Claws."  
  
"Rogue, are you wearing seranwrap?" asked Ororo.  
  
"And are you wet from the waist down?!" asked Sabertooth.  
  
"Uh, ya it's been a long niaht-" Rogue trailed off.  
  
"That reminds me," said Scott walking through the medical lab door, "I want a five page paper from each of you on my desk in two days outlining what you did while you were in Montreal and a definition of what a parapet is."  
  
The kids would have protested only Sabertooth's cell phone, "Hello?-Oh, it's you-You will?!-Ya, I see it," Victor walked over to the fax machine and retrieved four sheets that had been printed out while he was coming to, "You're where?-Really?!-I see-Great thanks, I'll talk to you soon."  
  
"What was that all about?" asked Ororo.  
  
"That was my contact. She agreed to sell one of her estates. It's an uncharted island off the coast of one of the Hawaiian islands. It has a 40,000 square foot house, a staff of 34, a two-thousand square foot pool, tennis courts, a stable and 500 square foot greenhouse." Vic explained.  
  
"Where was she calling from?" asked Magneto.  
  
"The Sahara," said Sabertooth as he looked toward Storm, "apparently there's a foot of snow on the ground."  
  
~FIN~  
  
-------------  
  
Afterward:  
  
Storm and Sabertooth moved out to the island with the triplets: Victor, Chris and Will. Sabetooth continued his work as an assassin against the wishes of Storm, who went on to have three girls and helped the X-Men with missions when ever she could. The first two were twins: Emma and Lily, who only wound up with their father's blonde hair, while they inherited their mother's skin and blue eyes. The youngest girl, Cudare, took more after her brothers with a tail, claws, blue eyes, white hair and light skin.  
  
Will went on to become a lawyer for mutant rights in NY state. He married a red headed leopard mutant by the name of Sahara. They had a little girl with red hair named Katie. The other two boys, however, were content to just settle back into their roles as heirs of a vast fortune. For the twins it was pretty much the same thing, only they kept up an on again off again courtship with some European royalty.  
  
Cudare on the other hand took an interest in her father's business much to the dismay of her mother.  
  
Well that's all folks. Thank you all for your unfathomable patients-break out the champagne it's over~YAY! With any luck I'll get the next one up and running in the comic verse soon-and don't worry Gambit will definitely have a special role in it along with Wolverine, Mystique, Jubilee and Rogue. 


End file.
